Active and Passive Facebook Use and Associated Costly Off-line Helping Behavior

Abstract

This study examined active and passive Facebook use and the associated costly altruistic behavior. Results supported the hypothesis that social media use, particularly active use, can enhance the perceived relatedness of individuals in need and reduce the influence of genetic relatedness in helping. Passive social media users tended to help kin in both situations involving low and high biological cost, whereas they were less likely to risk themselves to help social media friends and strangers in extraordinary situations involving high biological cost. However, active social media users, who had a broader sense of connectedness with genetically unrelated individuals, were more willing to help social media friends and strangers in both situations involving high and low biological cost.