SINGAPORE - From giving up their seat on buses to helping another person with directions, nearly eight in 10 Singaporeans say they render small acts of kindness.

And such people, says the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), are more likely to become volunteers and give to charity.

"There is a perception that Singaporeans are kiasu and competitive, and yet our findings show that many engage in micro-giving acts. As we grow a culture of giving in Singapore, let's celebrate these simple victories - they may be the building blocks of large-scale, generational change," said NVPC's chief executive Melissa Kwee.

NVPC on Thursday (May 16) released the findings of its biennial survey which aims to track trends in volunteering, philanthropy and other forms of giving among Singaporeans.

For the first time, the study examined a wider range of behaviours beyond volunteerism and cash donations to provide a more complete picture of giving in Singapore.

The study, which covered 2,100 respondents, found that 79 per cent of Singaporeans engage in everyday acts of kindness, otherwise known as micro-giving behaviours.

These are voluntary and spontaneous acts of giving, such as picking up litter and helping someone carry heavy things.

Of those who said that they do small acts of kindness, 90 per cent said they give way to others, 88 per cent said they give up their seat on public transport and 81 percent said they give directions to someone who is lost.

The study also found that those who rendered such acts of kindness were also more likely to engage in other kinds of giving. They were twice as likely to become volunteers and 29 per cent more likely to make a cash donation.

NVPC said that because of their low-time commitment, these small gestures of kindness could be celebrated as a first step towards a giving journey for busy Singaporeans.