Individual Differences Research

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Individual Differences Research > Volume 24, Issue 2 (2026) > e24010

The Past Prosocial Behavior Scale: A Briefer, More Inclusive Measure

Rachel Baumsteiger

Abstract

Existing measures of past prosocial behavior include some items that are not available to all people (e.g., shoveling snow). The purpose of this investigation was to develop a brief, valid, and more broadly applicable measure of past prosocial behavior. A measure of prosocial behavioral intentions (Baumsteiger & Siegel, 2019) was modified to create the four-item past prosocial behavior scale (PPBS). Across three survey studies (Ns = 119, 125, and 95), the PPBS was internally consistent, demonstrated initial convergent validity with theoretically related constructs (prosocial intentions, prosocial identity, prosocial agency, concern for others, social responsibility, empathy, meaning, life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, and social relatedness), and was strongly related to volunteering and organ donor status, thereby exhibiting initial evidence of concurrent validity. This measure could be useful for future studies on prosocial behavior.

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Published 

August 19, 2026

Keywords 

Prosocial behavior; 

Past; 

Scale;

Measure;

Helping;

Adults;

Survey