Older Adults Most Likely to Make the Effort to Help Others

Older adults are more likely to make an effort to help others, a new study reports. Researchers found that older adults are more likely to offer help than younger people when tasks require more effort. By contrast, younger adults were more selfish and put in higher levels of effort for self-benefit.

Effort Reveals Generosity Gap: Older Adults Outshine Youth

The world’s population is aging. As people age, social interactions become crucial for maintaining health and well-being, since social isolation is significantly harmful to physical and mental health. Social connection relies on prosocial behavior in this increasingly aging population. It remains unclear how self-interest versus helping others changes across the lifespan and how willing people are.

The researchers in the University’s School of Psychology led to a study, which is the first to show how effortful ‘prosocial’ behaviour – intended to benefit others – changes as people get older. The study focused on people’s willingness to apply physical effort rather than give money or time, as attitudes toward these change with age.

The study examined 95 adults aged 18-36 and 92 adults aged 55-85 to compare generational differences. Participants made 150 choices about gripping a dynamometer at 6 different strength levels to measure grip force. Before the experiment, researchers measured each person’s maximum grip strength to ensure equal effort, regardless of individual strength.

Results from the study revealed that older adults demonstrated a greater willingness to help others compared to younger adults when faced with more demanding tasks. This suggests that older individuals are more inclined to offer assistance even when it requires significant effort. In contrast, younger adults exhibited a more self-centered approach. When tasks were challenging, individuals were more likely to invest effort in self-benefit activities rather than helping others. This difference shows older adults prioritize helping others under pressure, while younger adults focus more on personal gain. Understanding lifespan behavior differences reveals how effort is allocated between self-interest and altruism, and how tendencies evolve.