Prosocial motivation for mask-wearing and its impact on subjective well-being and loneliness: Evidence from two short-term longitudinal studies

This study investigated the directional influence of prosocial motivation for mask-wearing, which is an infection-prevention behavior, on individuals' subjective well-being and loneliness. I also examined the psychological mechanisms mediating these effects. Two short-term longitudinal studies were conducted using a four-wave weekly panel design. Study 1 (January and February 2024) included 1,301 Japanese adults. Study 2 (January and February 2025) included 1,231 unmarried Japanese employees. Analyses using random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) did not detect significant cross-lagged effects of prosocial motivation for mask-wearing. However, cross-lagged panel model analyses (CLPM) showed higher prosocial motivation in the preceding week predicted greater satisfaction of relatedness needs in the subsequent week. This satisfaction was associated with higher positive affect (Studies 1 and 2) and reduced loneliness (Study 2). Therefore, prosocial motivation demonstrated significant, although weak, indirect effects through relatedness satisfaction. In the discussion, I consider the influence of prosocial motivation for mask-wearing on emotional well-being and interpersonal experiences through a comparison of the RI-CLPM and CLPM results.