Cannabis consumption and prosociality

Abstract

The existing literature largely focuses on health risks and other pharmacodynamics of using cannabis, with fewer investigations of other normative psychological effects from consumption among otherwise healthy people. We measured several basic constructs of social psychology corresponding to the concept of prosociality among 146 healthy young adults between 18 and 25 years (M = 18.9, SD = 1.4) with varying detectable levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their urine, controlling for participant's sex, age, ethnicity, and childhood socio-economic status. Compared to THC-free individuals, cannabis users scored higher than non-users on validated measures of Prosocial Behaviors (d = .34, p = .04), the Empathy Quotient (d = .36, p < .01), Moral Harmlessness (d = .76, p < .01) and Moral Fairness (d = .49, p < .01), but exhibited a lower sense of Ingroup Loyalty (d = .33, p = .04). Relative to THC-free, same-sex individuals, female cannabis users scored significantly higher on measurements of Aggression (ds = .65 and .57, ps < .05) and male users scored higher on the Agreeableness dimension of personality (d = .91, p < .01).. Linear associations were found between the recency of last cannabis usage and the Prosocial Behaviors, Empathy Quotient, Moral Harmlessness, Moral Fairness and Agreeableness personality scores (rs from - .24 to .38, ps < .05). The findings suggest cannabis usage is associated with an increased sense of prosociality and prioritization of humanitarian behaviors that declines with time following cannabis consumption. Further research should focus on heterogeneity in the effects of cannabis consumption across users.

Figure 1

Group differences in overall aggression, physical aggression, and agreeableness construct scores. Note. The total (overall) aggression scores ranged from 17 to 50, physical aggression scores 3 to 14, and agreeableness scores − 5 to 6.

Figure 2

Group differences in prosocial behaviors and empathy quotient construct scores. Note. The prosocial behaviors scores ranged from − 8 to 32 and empathy scores − .15 to 2.60.

Figure 3

Group differences in moral foundation principles of harmlessness, fairness, and ingroup loyalty. Note. The harmlessness scores ranged from 6 to 20, fairness scores 8 to 20, and ingroup/loyalty scores 0 to 19.