Effects of Gender and Mortality Salience on Altruistic Behaviour of Secondary School Students

Abstract

This research examined the effects of gender and Mortality salience on altruistic behaviour of Senior Secondary (SS III) School Students. 120 students drawn using stratified sampling technique from Shalom International Secondary School Nsukka, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State participated in the study. The Self-Report Altruism (SRA) scale developed by Rushton, Chrisjohn and Fekken (1981) and validated for use in Nigeria by Achukwu (2010) was used to measure (SS III) students’ altruistic behaviour. 2x2 factorial design was used and 2x2 analysis of variance was also used for statistical analysis. ANOVA result indicated a significant gender main effect (P <.05). Females were found to engage in altruistic behaviour more than males. There was also a significant mortality salient main effect (P < 001). Those in the mortality salient group were found to engage in altruistic behaviour more than those in the control group. A significant interaction effect was also found (P<.05). Male as well as female participants in the mortality salient group were found to engage in altruistic behaviour more than males and females in the control group, but the margin is higher for male participants. The researchers, therefore, recommend that altruistic behaviour should be a willful action rather than a propelled or motivated behaviour by any obvious factor.