Determinants of Prosocial Behaviour among Undergraduate Students at a Public University in the Klang Valley

Abstract

Prosocial behaviour, encompassing voluntary actions like giving and helping, strengthens interpersonal relationships and contributes to a harmonious social environment. In higher education, it supports collaborative learning, psychological well-being, and a stronger sense of community. Despite its importance, limited research has jointly examined the psychological and spiritual determinants of prosociality within Malaysia’s multicultural and religiously active university environment. This study aimed to examine the predictive roles of altruistic tendency, religious practice, and life satisfaction on prosocial behaviour. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 202 undergraduate students (36 males and 166 females) from the Faculty of Education at a public university in the Klang Valley. Participants were selected using proportional stratified random sampling across four academic programmes, and data were gathered using validated self-administered questionnaires. Data were analysed using Pearson correlations and multiple regression. The findings revealed that students exhibited higher-than-expected baseline levels of prosocial behaviour. The multiple regression model was statistically significant, explaining 19.1% of the variance in prosociality. Notably, altruistic tendency emerged as a robust, significant positive predictor of prosocial engagement. In contrast, neither religious practice nor life satisfaction was a significant independent predictor. While life satisfaction demonstrated a weak but statistically significant positive correlation with prosocial behaviour, religious practice showed no significant correlation. These results suggest that students may view religious rituals primarily as a personal obligation rather than an internalised moral compass driving outward helping behaviour. These findings highlight the central role of internalised altruistic dispositions, aligning with the Islamic virtue of īthār (selflessness), in fostering prosociality. The study concludes that student development initiatives, policymakers, and educators should prioritise experiential moral value formation and well-being support over surface-level religious practices to effectively enhance prosocial engagement in higher education.