Altruism and Existential Well-Being

Abstract Recent empirical research has established that a strong purpose in life, what has been called existential well-being, has important implications in many health and behavioral outcomes. However, what factors contribute to a strong purpose in life, and the role of altruistic values and behaviors specifically, has not been well-studied. A body of literature has emphasized having a strong sense of a common bond with all humanity as the “heart” of altruism. Does a strong sense of a common bond lead to a strong purpose in life? If it does, will it do so directly or through altruistic values and behaviors generated by it? Using a national survey of 1207 US adults, this study aims to investigate links between the sense of a common bond, altruism, and existential wellbeing. We elaborate altruism into four levels of extensity, depending on whether it is directed towards family, friends, the local community, or the entire world. Results from structural equation modeling indicated that altruism at different levels of extensity accounted for over half of the variation in existential well-being. Altruistic acts and values that extended beyond family, friends, and local community offered greater benefits for existential well-being than those focusing on the “near and dear”. We also found that the sense of a common bond underlay altruism at all levels of extensity. However, this bond mattered to existential well-being only when it was realized in altruistic attitudes and acts, especially ones toward the whole world.