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Publications

Filter Results: (48) Arrow Down
Filter Results: (48) Arrow Down Arrow Up

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  • All HBS Web  (48)
    • News  (2)
    • Research  (47)
  • Faculty Publications  (13)

Show Results For

  • All HBS Web  (48)
    • News  (2)
    • Research  (47)
  • Faculty Publications  (13)
Page 1 of 48 Results →
  • April 2013
  • Article

Making a Difference Matters: Impact Unlocks the Emotional Benefits of Prosocial Spending

By: Lara B. Aknin, Elizabeth W. Dunn, Ashley V. Whillans, Adam M. Grant and Michael I. Norton
When does giving lead to happiness? Here, we present two studies demonstrating that the emotional benefits of spending money on others (prosocial spending) are unleashed when givers are aware of their positive impact. In Study 1, an experiment using real... View Details
Keywords: Prosocial Spending; Prosocial Impact; Subjective Well Being; Donations; Happiness; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving
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Aknin, Lara B., Elizabeth W. Dunn, Ashley V. Whillans, Adam M. Grant, and Michael I. Norton. "Making a Difference Matters: Impact Unlocks the Emotional Benefits of Prosocial Spending." Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 88 (April 2013): 90–95.
  • 2013
  • Article

Prosocial Spending and Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Evidence for a Psychological Universal

By: Lara B. Aknin, Christopher P. Barrington-Leigh, Elizabeth W. Dunn, John F. Helliwell, Justine Burns, Robert Biswas-Diener, Imelda Kemeza, Paul Nyende, Claire Ashton-James and Michael I. Norton
This research provides the first support for a possible psychological universal: Human beings around the world derive emotional benefits from using their financial resources to help others (prosocial spending). In Study 1, survey data from 136 countries were examined... View Details
Keywords: Prosocial Spending; Psychological Universal; Prosocial Behavior; Well-being; Happiness; Spending; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Canada; Uganda; South Africa; India
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Aknin, Lara B., Christopher P. Barrington-Leigh, Elizabeth W. Dunn, John F. Helliwell, Justine Burns, Robert Biswas-Diener, Imelda Kemeza, Paul Nyende, Claire Ashton-James, and Michael I. Norton. "Prosocial Spending and Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Evidence for a Psychological Universal." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 104, no. 4 (April 2013): 635–652.
  • Article

Getting the Most Out of Giving: Concretely Framing a Prosocial Goal Maximizes Happiness

By: Melanie Rudd, Jennifer Aaker and Michael I. Norton
Across six field and laboratory experiments, participants assigned a more concretely-framed prosocial goal (e.g., making someone smile or increasing recycling) felt happier and reported creating greater personal happiness after performing a goal-directed act of... View Details
Keywords: Prosocial Behavior; Goal Framing; Affective Forecasting; Goals and Objectives; Happiness; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving
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Rudd, Melanie, Jennifer Aaker, and Michael I. Norton. "Getting the Most Out of Giving: Concretely Framing a Prosocial Goal Maximizes Happiness." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 54 (September 2014): 11–24.
  • Article

Prosocial Bonuses Increase Employee Satisfaction and Team Performance

By: Lalin Anik, Lara B. Aknin, Elizabeth W. Dunn, Michael I. Norton and Jordi Quoidbach
In three field studies, we explore the impact of providing employees and teammates with prosocial bonuses, a novel type of bonus spent on others rather than on oneself. In Experiment 1, we show that prosocial bonuses in the form of donations to charity lead to happier... View Details
Keywords: Satisfaction; Groups and Teams; Performance; Compensation and Benefits; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Banking Industry; Sports Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; Canada; Belgium; Australia
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Anik, Lalin, Lara B. Aknin, Elizabeth W. Dunn, Michael I. Norton, and Jordi Quoidbach. "Prosocial Bonuses Increase Employee Satisfaction and Team Performance." PLoS ONE 8, no. 9 (September 2013): 1–8.
  • 2013
  • Working Paper

Prosocial Bonuses Increase Employee Satisfaction and Team Performance

By: Lalin Anik, Lara B. Aknin, Michael I. Norton, Elizabeth W. Dunn and Jordi Quoidbach
In two field studies, we explore the impact of providing employees and teammates with prosocial bonuses, a novel type of bonus spent on others rather than on oneself. In Experiment 1, we show that prosocial bonuses in the form of donations to charity lead to happier... View Details
Keywords: Satisfaction; Groups and Teams; Performance; Compensation and Benefits; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Banking Industry; Sports Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; Canada; Belgium; Australia
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Anik, Lalin, Lara B. Aknin, Michael I. Norton, Elizabeth W. Dunn, and Jordi Quoidbach. "Prosocial Bonuses Increase Employee Satisfaction and Team Performance." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 13-095, May 2013.
  • February 2018
  • Article

The Impact of a Surprise Donation Ask

By: Christine L. Exley and Ragan Petrie
Individuals frequently exploit "flexibility" built into decision environments to give less. They use uncertainty to justify options benefiting themselves over others, they avoid information that may encourage them to give, and they avoid the ask itself. In this paper,... View Details
Keywords: Charitable Giving; Prosocial Behavior; Self-serving Biases; Excuses; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Behavior
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Exley, Christine L., and Ragan Petrie. "The Impact of a Surprise Donation Ask." Journal of Public Economics 158 (February 2018): 152–167.
  • 04 Jun 2013
  • Working Paper Summaries

Prosocial Bonuses Increase Employee Satisfaction and Team Performance

Keywords: by Lalin Anik, Lara B. Aknin, Michael I. Norton, Elizabeth W. Dunn & Jordi Quoidbach
  • 2010
  • Working Paper

Prosocial Spending and Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Evidence for a Psychological Universal

By: Lara B. Aknin, Christopher P. Barrington-Leigh, Elizabeth W. Dunn, John F. Helliwell, Robert Biswas-Diener, Imelda Kemeza, Paul Nyende, Claire Ashton-James and Michael I. Norton
This research provides the first support for a possible psychological universal: human beings around the world derive emotional benefits from using their financial resources to help others (prosocial spending). Analyzing survey data from 136 countries, we show that... View Details
Keywords: Spending; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Happiness; Motivation and Incentives; Welfare; Uganda; Canada
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Aknin, Lara B., Christopher P. Barrington-Leigh, Elizabeth W. Dunn, John F. Helliwell, Robert Biswas-Diener, Imelda Kemeza, Paul Nyende, Claire Ashton-James, and Michael I. Norton. "Prosocial Spending and Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Evidence for a Psychological Universal." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 11-038, September 2010.
  • 2022
  • Article

Values and Inequality: Prosocial Jobs and the College Wage Premium

By: Nathan Wilmers and Letian Zhang
Employers often recruit workers by invoking corporate social responsibility, organizational purpose, or other claims to a prosocial mission. In an era of substantial labor market inequality, commentators typically dismiss these claims as hypocritical: prosocial... View Details
Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Equality and Inequality; Wages; Recruitment
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Wilmers, Nathan, and Letian Zhang. "Values and Inequality: Prosocial Jobs and the College Wage Premium." American Sociological Review 87, no. 3 (2022): 415–442.
  • October 2012
  • Article

Giving Time Gives You Time

By: Cassie Mogilner, Zoe Chance and Michael I. Norton
Four experiments reveal a counterintuitive solution to the common problem of feeling that one does not have enough time: giving some of it away. Although people's objective amount of time cannot be increased (there are only 24 hours in a day), this research... View Details
Keywords: Time Perception; Well-being; Volunteering; Prosocial Behavior; Helping; Time Management; Welfare
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Mogilner, Cassie, Zoe Chance, and Michael I. Norton. "Giving Time Gives You Time." Psychological Science 23, no. 10 (October 2012): 1233–1238.
  • Research Summary

Overview

I am a field researcher studying the relational nature of work. Organizations are inherently social institutions and provide myriad opportunities for relationship formation. My work begins with the simple insight that all relationships are not equal: interpersonal... View Details
Keywords: Prosocial Motivation; Feedback; Personal Development; Needs; Organizational Design; Performance Productivity; Social and Collaborative Networks; Networks; Groups and Teams; Family and Family Relationships; Food and Beverage Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Consulting Industry; Consumer Products Industry
  • Research Summary

Overview

Grant uses a combination of laboratory and field experiments to harness consumers' cognitive and affective resources to increase their well-being. Consumers make countless daily decisions in the pursuit of happiness -- whether and how to spend or save their money, what... View Details
Keywords: Well-being; Judgment And Decision Making; Health; Prosocial Behavior
  • 2013
  • Working Paper

Work Design Drivers of Organizational Learning about Operational Failures: A Laboratory Experiment on Medication Administration

By: Anita L. Tucker
Operational failures persist in hospitals, in part because employees work around them rather than attempt to prevent recurrence. Drawing on a process improvement tool—the Andon cord—we examine three work design components that may foster improvement-oriented behaviors:... View Details
Keywords: Health Care; Process Improvement; Organizational Learning; Behavioral Operations; Prosocial Behavior; Experiments; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Behavior; Performance Improvement; Health Care and Treatment; Business Processes; Health Industry
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Tucker, Anita L. "Work Design Drivers of Organizational Learning about Operational Failures: A Laboratory Experiment on Medication Administration." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 13-044, November 2012. (Revised September 2013.)
  • June 2024
  • Article

Defining Who You Are by Whom You Serve? Strategies for Prosocial–Professional Identity Integration with Clients

By: Lakshmi Ramarajan and Julie Yen
Many professionals want to both achieve professional success and contribute to society. Yet, in some professional contexts, these aims are in tension because serving elite clients is considered the pinnacle of professional success, but professionals themselves may view... View Details
Keywords: Identity; Experience and Expertise; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Behavior; Social Entrepreneurship
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Ramarajan, Lakshmi, and Julie Yen. "Defining Who You Are by Whom You Serve? Strategies for Prosocial–Professional Identity Integration with Clients." Administrative Science Quarterly 69, no. 2 (June 2024): 515–567.
  • 13 Feb 2018
  • First Look

New Research and Ideas, February 13, 2018

forthcoming The Economics of Artificial Intelligence The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Innovation By: Cockburn, Iain M., Rebecca Henderson, and Scott Stern Abstract—No abstract available. Publisher's link:... View Details
Keywords: Sean Silverthorne
  • 17 Apr 2012
  • First Look

First Look: April 17

  PublicationsHappiness Runs in a Circular Motion: Evidence for a Positive Feedback Loop between Prosocial Spending and Happiness Authors:Lara B. Aknin, Elizabeth W. Dunn, and Michael I. Norton Publication:Journal of Happiness Studies 13... View Details
Keywords: Carmen Nobel
  • 15 Aug 2023
  • Research & Ideas

Why Giving to Others Makes Us Happy

results Study participants also routinely expressed more happiness when their prosocial spending was tied to a specific outcome that showed the impact that they made, which acted as a sign of success and... View Details
Keywords: by Michael Blanding
  • 22 Mar 2016
  • First Look

March 22, 2016

that academic institutions can encourage more relevant research, focusing on journals, professional societies, and doctoral programs. Publisher's link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=50798 Incentives for Prosocial... View Details
Keywords: Sean Silverthorne
  • 03 Apr 2012
  • First Look

First Look: April 3

sense of time affluence can be increased: compared with wasting time, spending time on oneself, and even gaining a windfall of "free" time, spending time on others increases feelings of time affluence. The impact of giving time... View Details
Keywords: Carmen Nobel
  • 31 Jan 2023
  • Research & Ideas

It’s Not All About Pay: College Grads Want Jobs That ‘Change the World’

almost every society on how much we should allow the private sector to handle prosocial objectives,” says Zhang, who studies workplace culture and social inequality. “What we saw here is that if the private sector engages in that View Details
Keywords: by Rachel Layne
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