Prosocial Benefits of Feeling Free: Disbelief in Free Will Increases Aggression and Reduces Helpfulness

@article{Baumeister2009ProsocialBO,
  title={Prosocial Benefits of Feeling Free: Disbelief in Free Will Increases Aggression and Reduces Helpfulness},
  author={Roy F. Baumeister and E. J. Masicampo and C. Nathan DeWall},
  journal={Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin},
  year={2009},
  volume={35},
  pages={260 - 268}
}
Laypersons' belief in free will may foster a sense of thoughtful reflection and willingness to exert energy, thereby promoting helpfulness and reducing aggression, and so disbelief in free will may make behavior more reliant on selfish, automatic impulses and therefore less socially desirable. Three studies tested the hypothesis that disbelief in free will would be linked with decreased helping and increased aggression. In Experiment 1, induced disbelief in free will reduced willingness to help… 
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353 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
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Background Citations
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Methods Citations
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Results Citations
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353 Citations

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