Pro-social messages and transcendence: a content analysis of Facebook reactions to Mark Zuckerberg's donation pledge

Abstract

This quantitative content analysis of over 4000 Facebook posts explores the connections between transcendence-related character strengths and emotions expressed on social media in response to Mark Zuckerberg's pledge to give away 99% of his Facebook shares to charity. We found that (a) other-oriented hope was found in over half of the posts expressing hopeful thinking; (b) appreciation of moral beauty and excellence was the most prevalent moral emotion or character strength expressed in response to this prosocial act on Facebook; and (c) the presence of appreciation of moral beauty and excellence was positively correlated with the presence of hope, other-oriented hope, and spirituality. Implications of the study are discussed.