Exploratory factor analysis for self-report altruism scale

Rushton, Chrisjohn, & Fekken (1981) developed the self-report altruism scale as a
unidimensional measure of altruistic behavior. Accordingly, we ran an exploratory factor analysis
with a single fixed factor in order to determine whether the 20 items do indeed load acceptably
onto a single dimension, which in the present study was defined as altruism. Results of the EFA
showed that inter-item correlation was good (determinant = .004). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin
Measure of Sampling Adequacy was .874 indicating a sufficient number of items for the factor.
Bartletts test of sphericity (2(190) = 1347.60, p = .001) indicated that the correlation matrix was
statistically significantly different from an identity matrix (i.e., the variables were correlated
highly enough to provide a reasonable basis for factor analysis as in this case). Our single-factor
solution had an Eigenvalue of 5.87, explaining 29% of covariance among items (see Figure 1 for
scree plot). All items loaded well (i.e., above .30) on the single factor (see Table 1 for itemloadings).
Figure S1.
Scree plot for exploratory factor analysis of the self-report altruism scale.

Table S1.
Factor loadings for the self-report altruism scale.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Item
I have helped push a strangers car out of the snow.
I have given directions to a stranger.
I have made change for a stranger.
I have given money to a charity.
I have given money to a stranger who needed it (or asked me for it).
I have donated goods or clothes to a charity.
I have done volunteer work for a charity.
I have donated blood.
I have helped carry a strangers belongings (books, parcels, etc.).
I have delayed an elevator and held the door open for a stranger.
I have allowed someone to go ahead of me in a lineup (at photocopy
machine, in the supermarket).
I have given a stranger a lift in my car.
I have pointed out a clerks error (in a bank, at the supermarket) in
undercharging me for an item.
I have let a neighbour whom I didnt know too well borrow an item of
some value to me (e.g., a dish, tools, etc.)
I have bought charity Christmas cards deliberately because I knew it
was a good cause.
I have helped a classmate who I did not know that well with a homework
assignment when my knowledge was greater than his or hers.
I have before being asked, voluntarily looked after a neighbours pets or
children without being paid for it.
I have offered to help a handicapped or elderly stranger across a street.
I have offered my seat on a bus or train to a stranger who was standing.
I have helped an acquaintance to move households.

Item loading
.438
.586
.523
.455
.562
.458
.408
.431
.569
.590
.538
.448
.438
.501
.510
.449
.554
.574
.531
.510

Item-specific correlations on the self-report altruism scale with indices of mating success.
The main text reported significant correlations between mating success and overall score
on the self-report altruism scale. Some research suggests that there may be different kinds of
altruism which may affect different aspects of partner choice (Barclay, 2013; Barclay & Reeve,
2012; Kafashan et al., submitted). In case these data can be of use to future researchers Table 2

provides the bivariate correlation between each item of the self-report altruism scale and each of
our four mating success indices.

Table S2.
Pearson correlations for self-report altruism items and 1) self-perceived mating success, 2) lifetime sex partners, 3) lifetime casual sex partners, and
4) in-pair copulation frequency in Study 1. Note that for in-pair copulation frequency the correlations are based on a subsample of 111 participants
who were in a dating relationship at the time of data collection. Yellow highlights statistical significance at the conventional p < .05 value, green
highlights a p < .1.
Item
1. I have helped push a strangers car out of the snow.
2. I have given directions to a stranger.
3. I have made change for a stranger.
4. I have given money to a charity.
5. I have given money to a stranger who needed it (or asked me for it).
6. I have donated goods or clothes to a charity.
7. I have done volunteer work for a charity.
8. I have donated blood.
9. I have helped carry a strangers belongings (books, parcels, etc.).
10. I have delayed an elevator and held the door open for a stranger.
11. I have allowed someone to go ahead of me in a lineup (at photocopy
machine, in the supermarket).
12. I have given a stranger a lift in my car.
13. I have pointed out a clerks error (in a bank, at the supermarket) in
undercharging me for an item.
14. I have let a neighbour whom I didnt know too well borrow an item of
some value to me (e.g., a dish, tools, etc.)
15. I have bought charity Christmas cards deliberately because I knew it
was a good cause.
16. I have helped a classmate who I did not know that well with a
homework assignment when my knowledge was greater than his or hers.
17. I have before being asked, voluntarily looked after a neighbours pets or
children without being paid for it.
18. I have offered to help a handicapped or elderly stranger across a street.
19. I have offered my seat on a bus or train to a stranger who was standing.
20. I have helped an acquaintance to move households.
Overall score on Self-Report Altruism Scale

Self-perceived
mating success
r = .12, p = .05
r = .12, p = .04
r = .16, p = .01
r = .11, p = .09
r = .13, p = .04
r = .14, p = .03
r = .18, p = .004
r = .07, p = .29
r = .19, p = .003
r = .15, p = .02
r = .10, p = .11

Lifetime sex
partners
r = .16, p = .01
r = .12, p = .05
r = .17, p = .007
r = .03, p = .62
r = .13, p = .04
r = .01, p = .90
r = .04, p = .50
r = -.03, p = .67
r = .05, p = .40
r = .12, p = .07
r = .01, p = .84

Lifetime casual
sex partners
r = .17, p = .008
r = .12, p = .06
r = .13, p = .04
r = .04, p = .54
r = .12, p = .05
r = .00, p = .99
r = .09, p = .15
r = -.04, p = .52
r = .06, p = .33
r = .12, p = .07
r = .05, p = .40

In-pair
copulation
r = .05, p = .59
r = .09, p = .34
r = .07, p = .48
r = .16, p = .11
r = .20, p = .04
r = .05, p = .65
r = .12, p = .21
r = .22, p = .02
r = .25, p = .01
r = .10, p = .31
r = .08, p = .43

r = .12, p = .06
r = .03, p = .64

r = .10, p = .12
r = .05, p = .48

r = .10, p = .11
r = .02, p = .71

r = .11, p = .28
r = .01, p = .91

r = .16, p = .01

r = .17, p = .008

r = .19, p = .002

r = .13, p = .18

r = .13, p = .05

r = .14, p = .04

r = .14, p = .03

r = .11, p = .28

r = .11, p = .08

r = .02, p = .72

r = .01, p = .85

r = .07, p = .48

r = .09, p = .15

r = .06, p = .35

r = .05, p = .44

r = .19, p = .05

r = .23, p = .001
r = .21, p = .001
r = .20, p = .002

r = .16, p = .01
r = .17, p = .01
r = .25, p = .001

r = .15, p = .02
r = .15, p = .02
r = .22, p = .001

r = .27, p = .006
r = .30, p = .002
r = .19, p = .05

r = .26, p = .001

r = .20, p = .002

r = .19, p = .003

r = .29, p = .003