心理的負債に対する被援助利益の重みと援助コストの重みの比較

抄録

Greenberg (1980) proposed that the magnitude of indebtedness (I) was a function of the recipient's benefits (B) from the aid attempt plus the donor's costs (C). This relationship is expressed by the equation I=x₁B+x₂C, x₁>x₂, where x₁ and x₂ are empirically determined weights. The present study examined the validity of this equation. The subjects, 272 university students, were asked to place themselves in the role of a hypothetical student confronted with each of 32 different situations in which the student needed some aid from others, and to answer a series of questions regarding their reactions. A multiple regression analysis validated the equation in 23 out of the 32 situations. In situations in which the outcome of the aid attempt was successful with low cost for the donor, there was a tendency for the subjects to estimate x₁ to be smaller than x₂(x₁<x₂).