Group effects on individual attitudes toward social responsibility

This study uses a quasi-experimental design to investigate what happens to individual socially responsible attitudes when exposed to group dynamics. Findings show that engagement increases individual attitudes toward social responsibility. They also show that individuals with low attitudes toward social responsibility are more likely to change their opinions when the group members show higher attitudes toward social responsibility. Instead, individuals with high attitudes do not change much, independent of group characteristics. To better analyze the effect of group dynamics, the study proposes to split social responsibility in relative and absolute. Findings show that relative social responsibility is correlated but different from absolute social responsibility although it is changed in the latter that is most affected by group dynamics.