Understanding age-related differences in online prosocial behavior: A qualitative thematic analysis of interpersonal, ideological, and mixed patterns

Prosocial behaviors (PB), referring to voluntary acts intended to benefit others, have become increasingly prevalent online due to advancements in Internet and technology, providing opportunities to benefit people globally. Moreover, previous research suggests that age is a crucial determinant of PB, although the findings are mixed. This study explored the types of online prosocial behaviors (OPB) preferred by different age groups among a sample of 31 Hong Kong Chinese aged 20–70. The participants included a roughly equal number of females and males, recruited through social media platforms. Participants engaged in four focus group discus- sions, sharing their experiences and thoughts on OPB. The thematic analysis was guided by a recently developed classification of prosociality, distinguishing between interpersonal prosociality (direct PB with immediate feedback) and ideological prosociality (indirect benefits toward collectives without immediate outcomes). Inductive codes that could not be allocated to either type were grouped as a new theme. Three themes emerged: (i) interpersonal OPB (e.g., helping others online for specific goals), (ii) ideological OPB (e.g., concern about injustice and environmental issues), and (iii) mixed OPB (e.g., saving animals, updating COVID-19 information). We found that attention to interpersonal prosociality was highest among older adults (aged 60+), while younger adults (aged 18–29) exhibited greater concern for ideological OPB compared to their older counterparts. Our findings contribute to the conceptual framework of prosociality and underscore the importance of age-related factors in future quantitative research on OPB and on the design of online charity campaigns.