Case studies
| Theme Biography |
| Object Sociological investigation of Jean Monnet |
| Context France, 1950 |
| Goal Find the traces of social love in the biographical experience |
| Approach Micro social |
| Theoretical reference Interpretativism and Weberian approach |
| Methods and techniques Documentary analysis, historical analysis |
| Focus on social love Processes of institutionalization of social love |
| Theme Interculture |
| Object Community of Christians and Muslims |
| Context Algeria (Tlemcen), 1966-2012 |
| Goal Identify the reasons for the birth of a sui generis community of Muslims that shares the culture of unity with Christians |
| Approach Micro social |
| Theoretical reference Interpretativism and Weberian approach |
| Methods and techniques Mixed methods (documentary analysis, biographical study, interviews) |
| Focus on social love Social love institutionalization processes |
| Result “Tragicity of acting”: no homologating conversion, but an experience of fraternity |
| Theme Formation and identity processes |
| Object Handicraft school for the social promotion of the population and culture of Calchaquì |
| Context Argentina (Catamarca), 1970-2011 |
| Goal Evaluate the evidence against the hypothesis of social love in the origin and impact of the school |
| Approach Social Meso |
| Theoretical reference Interpretativism and Weberian approach |
| Methods and techniques Mixed methods (documentary analysis, biographical study, interviews) |
| Focus on social love Social love institutionalization processes |
| Result Habitus of social love: foundation of the school and birth of new daily practices |
| Theme Social service |
| Object Professional action of social workers |
| Context Italy (Sardinia), 2010-2013 |
| Goal Detect the presence of traces of social love in the relational styles underlying the help |
| Approach Social Meso |
| Theoretical reference Symbolic interactionism |
| Methods and techniques Non-participating observation (shadowing) |
| Focus on social love How social love works |
| Result «Excess» of the professional behaviors of social workers with respect to the ethical constraints |
| Theme Social policies |
| Object Local health and social services |
| Context Italy (Sardinia), 2016 |
| Goal Identify good surplus practices in local health and social policies |
| Approach Social macro |
| Theoretical reference Public policy analysis |
| Methods and techniques Documentary analysis, historical analysis |
| Focus on social love Social love institutionalization processes |
| Result Generativity: social policies capable of nourishing systems of trust, communities of solidarity |
| Theme Biography |
| Object Sociological investigation of Divjak |
| Context Serbia (Sarajevo) and Bosnia, 1994-2012 |
| Goal Identify characteristics of social love in the historical and biographical experience |
| Approach Micro social |
| Theoretical reference Historical approach |
| Methods and techniques Documentary analysis, historical analysis |
| Focus on social love Characteristics of social love |
| Result Radicality and universality of social love |
| Theme Culture of sharing |
| Object Peer to peer and internet system |
| Context USA and other countries, 1970-2016 |
| Goal Identify characteristics of social love in historical experience |
| Approach Social macro |
| Theoretical reference Historical approach and typification |
| Methods and techniques Documentary analysis, historical analysis |
| Focus on social love How social love works |
| Result Characteristics of social love: inadequacy and poor purity, related to the limited duration |
| Theme Biographies |
| Object Sociological survey on Perlasca |
| Context Hungary (Budapest), 1944-1945 |
| Goal Identify characteristics of social love in the historical and biographical experience |
| Approach Micro social |
| Theoretical reference Historical approach |
| Methods and techniques Documentary analysis, historical analysis |
| Focus on social love Characteristics of social love |
| Result Radicality and universality of social love |
| Theme Culture of sharing |
| Object Practice of suspended assets (coffee, books, shopping, holidays and permits) |
| Context Italy and other countries, 2013-2015 |
| Goal Identify the reasons for the spread (virality), multiplication and differentiation of the phenomenon |
| Approach Micro and meso social |
| Theoretical reference Symbolic interactionism |
| Methods and techniques Mixed methods (documentary analysis, biographical study, interviews) |
| Focus on social love How social love works |
| Result “Open solidarity”: assets suspended by an undue or necessary act, which produces a benefit without being claimed or deserved |
| Theme Social service |
| Object Social workers / Users of social services relationship |
| Context North America (Canada and USA), 2006-2009 |
| Goal Detect the presence of bidirectional transformative effects in the relationship between social workers and customers / users |
| Approach Micro social |
| Theoretical reference Social constructivism |
| Methods and techniques Secondary analysis / meta-analysis |
| Focus on social love How social love works |
| Result “Generativity” of care relationships: the clients observed are not passive subjects, but producers of the operators |
Survey studies
| Study unit Male and female student aged 14-16 |
| Space-time context Italy 2017 |
| Survey method Questionnaire administered in 106 upper secondary schools (2023 students) |
| Characteristics of the instrument Sprecher and Fehr – Compassionate Love Scale (12 out of 21 items of the scale used), 2 original indicators derived from the concept of agapic acting (6-12) |
Tab. Prosocial behaviors, altruism and agapic acting (scale 1-7) n= 2023
Total F-M | Female | Male | F-M | |
1. I always try to help others when they are experiencing difficult moments | 5,60 | 5,92 | 5,25 | 0,67 |
2. I try to understand rather than judge people | 5,25 | 5,45 | 5,02 | 0,43 |
3. If I encounter a stranger who needs help, I would do almost anything I could to help him or her | 5,08 | 5,30 | 4,82 | 0,48 |
4. When I see people I do not know feeling sad, I feel a need to reach out to them | 4,92 | 5,19 | 4,60 | 0,59 |
5. I can not be happy if those around me are not happy too | 4,89 | 5,10 | 4,66 | 0,44 |
6. If they ask me to give up some of my time to help someone, I spontaneously commit myself for a longer period of time | 4,64 | 4,95 | 4,30 | 0,65 |
7. I always share my possessions with others | 4,30 | 4,38 | 4,21 | 0,17 |
8. It is easy for me to feel the pain and joy experienced by others | 4,15 | 4,53 | 3,72 | 0,81 |
9. It is easy for me to feel the pain and joy experienced by others | 4,05 | 4,31 | 3,75 | 0,56 |
10. would be willing to put up with everything for the good of another person | 3,99 | 4,14 | 3,83 | 0,31 |
11. I spend a lot of time concerned about the well-being of humankind | 3,81 | 4,11 | 3,47 | 0,64 |
12. I normally give money to others without knowing what use will be made of it | 2,31 | 2,39 | 2,23 | 0,16 |
Short results
Constant difference exists between the orientation of males and females. With respect to all of the items females obtain a higher value. The score average is also quite high: nine indicators obtain values above 4 on a scale of 1 to 7.
These results exceed those that had been hypothesized and highlight that prosocial and altruistic attitudes, in general, are considered important among adolescents.
Four responses result in a greater difference between males and females (1-6-8-11) and in particular an item relating to agapic action, i.e., the item concerning one’s availability of time with an attitude of exceedance. These items represent orientations of greater commitment, from both the point of view of altruism and also from the point of view of agapic action and empathy as a capacity to identify oneself with the needs of others. The female orientation thus differs from the male orientation as regards both the type of attitude and the intensity of adherence. Finally, it may be noted that the two indicators of agapic action stimulate very different impressions, as foreseen in the initial hypotheses. In this perspective, an attitude of exceedance over an indefinite period of time attracts favorable response than the idea of donating money without knowing how it will be really used.
| Study unit Italian individuals (males and females) aged 18 and over (f: 52.2) |
| Space-time context Survey carried out between 27 June and 3 July 2020, representative sample of the Italian population no: 1003 cases |
| Survey method 300 cases with the Cati method, 703 cases with the Cawi method |
On a scale of 1 to 7 how much you agree with the following statements (1 not at all, 7 very much agree)
1. If it happens to me, I also help a stranger in difficulty | Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strongly agree |
2. If I am doing something that can help a person, I try to give my best regardless of the energy spent | Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strongly agree |
3. I often do a kindness to people I don’t know | Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strongly agree |
4. I try to understand rather than judge a person, even when they’re wrong | Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strongly agree |
5. I’m always the first to lend a hand when someone is in need | Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strongly agree |
On a scale of 1 to 7 how much you agree with the following statements (1 not at all, 7 very much agree)
1. If they ask me to offer some time to help someone, I spontaneously commit myself for a longer time | Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strongly agree |
2. I always try to help others when they go through difficult times | Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strongly agree |
3. I happen to donate money to other people, even without knowing what use will be made of it | Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strongly agree |
4. I would be willing to put up with everything for the sake of another | Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strongly agree |
5. I spend a lot of time worrying about the well-being of others | Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Strongly agree |
Short results
The study made it possible to construct an altruism index measured considering the lockdown period experienced in Italy, which was then compared with some variables.
It is noted that women have a higher tension to altruism and with increasing age the index considered also increases.
Also from a geographical point of view there are significant differences, in the areas of southern Italy there is a higher index of altruism. Finally, religiosity also affects altruism: Christians and believers in other confessions have a higher index of altruism.