The Beautiful Complexity of Human Prosociality: On the Interplay of Honesty-Humility, Intuition, and a Reward System

Human prosociality is a fascinating and complex phenomenon. The present research takes this complexity into account by examining the interplay of three prominent factors that past research has shown to promote prosocial behavior. In two studies (total N = 1,799), we tested the impact of (a) a basic prosocial personality trait (the Honesty-Humility dimension from the HEXACO personality model), (b) intuitive decision making, and (c) the possibility of being rewarded (i.e., a reward system) in the emergence of prosocial behavior (i.e., dictator game giving). Replicating previous research, we found that (1) a reward system increased prosocial behavior and (2) Honesty-Humility was positively related to prosocial behavior. In addition, given that there was no reward system, we show that intuition (vs. a control condition) reduced prosocial behavior in individuals low in Honesty-Humility, whereas no effect was found for individuals high in Honesty-Humility. Implications for the understanding of prosocial behavior are discussed.

Intuitive decision-making promotes rewarding prosocial others independent of the personality trait Honesty-Humility

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-75255-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Laila Nockur ◽

Stefan Pfattheicher

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Personality Trait ◽

Past Research ◽

Prosocial Behaviour ◽

Two Factors ◽

Abstract Although past research has convincingly shown that rewarding prosocial individuals helps to establish high levels of cooperation, research investigating factors that promote rewarding others has been surprisingly rare. The present research addresses this gap and examines two factors that were shown in past research to play a role in prosocial behaviour. In a well-powered study (total N = 1003), we tested the impact of (a) a basic prosocial personality trait (the Honesty-Humility dimension from the HEXACO personality model) and (b) intuitive decision-making, as well as (c) their interaction, in rewarding prosocial individuals. We found that (1) intuition promotes rewarding prosocial others; (2) Honesty-Humility was not significantly related to rewarding prosocial others; and (3) that Honesty-Humility did not significantly moderate the effect of intuition on reward. Implications for the understanding of reciprocating others’ prosocial behaviour are discussed.

The role of context in intuitive decision-making

Journal of Management & Organization ◽

10.1017/jmo.2015.63 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (5) ◽

pp. 642-661 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Said Elbanna ◽

Yasir Fadol

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

One Dimension ◽

Future Research ◽

Strategic Decisions ◽

Decision Environment ◽

Contextual Determinants ◽

The Impact ◽

Differential Contribution

AbstractFew writers have examined the contextual determinants of intuitive decision-making and none has examined the differential contribution to explaining intuition made by different perspectives on context. This study seeks to supply what is absent by examining the overall impact of combinations of variables representing three different perspectives (decision, environment and firm) on the use of intuition when making strategic decisions. The results indicate that the characteristics specific to the firm and to the environment appear to be more significant to intuition than does the nature of the decision; and that the impact of the contextual variables varies from one dimension to another. The research limitations are discussed and suggestions for future research are also offered.

Development of the Revised Relational Maximization Scale and explorations of how relational maximization relates to personal and relational outcomes

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407520928122 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (8-9) ◽

pp. 2482-2509

Author(s):

Alan C. Mikkelson ◽

Colter D. Ray

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Two Dimensions ◽

Total N ◽

Domain Specific ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Decision Making Styles ◽

Exploratory Factor Analyses ◽

Relational Outcomes

Cheek and Schwartz argued for conceptualizing maximization as the goal of “choosing the best” coupled with the strategy of “alternative search.” Using this conceptualization, we conducted five studies (Total N = 1,617) to revise the Relational Maximization Scale. Two exploratory factor analyses (Exploratory Study and Study 1) confirmed that choosing the best and alternative search were empirically distinct. A confirmatory factor analysis (Study 2) demonstrated the strength of the factor structure for these two dimensions. Study 2 results also indicated that choosing the best correlated with rational and intuitive decision-making styles, whereas alternative search correlated with indecisive, avoidant, and intuitive decision-making styles. In Study 3, choosing the best was positively related to relational outcomes (e.g., satisfaction, commitment, and trust), whereas alternative search was negatively related to relational outcomes. Study 4 demonstrated that alternative search and the quality of alternatives were empirically distinct. Study 4 also showed that choosing the best was positively related to life satisfaction and optimism, whereas alternative search was positively related to regret and negatively related to optimism. Together, these studies validate the importance of examining domain-specific maximization in ongoing relationships and offer a new Revised Relational Maximization Scale. Specifically, we propose that the choosing the best subscale be used as a measure of the maximization goal and that the alternative search subscale be used as a measure of the maximization strategy.

The Impact of Corporate Culture, the Reward System, and Perceived Moral Intensity on Marketing Students' Ethical Decision Making

Journal of Marketing Education ◽

10.1177/0273475304273458 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 68-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Alexander Nill ◽

John A. Schibrowsky

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Corporate Culture ◽

Ethical Decision ◽

Ethical Decision Making ◽

Reward System ◽

Moral Intensity ◽

Prosocial behavior in aging: which factors can explain age-related differences in social-economic decision making?

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610219000061 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (12) ◽

pp. 1747-1757 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alessia Rosi ◽

Marta Nola ◽

Serena Lecce ◽

Elena Cavallini

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Decision Making ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Prosocial Behavior ◽

Practical Implication ◽

Dictator Game ◽

Reasoning Ability ◽

Younger Adults ◽

Age Related ◽

Economic Decision Making

ABSTRACTObjectives:Older adults tend to exhibit more prosocial behavior than younger adults. However, little research has focused on understanding the factors that may explain such differences in the social decision-making process. The first aim was to examine if, and to what degree, the content of social information about a recipient has an impact on young vs. older adults’ prosocial behavior. The second aim was to understand if empathic concern, Theory of Mind, and reasoning explain the (expected) age differences in prosociality.Design:Cross-sectional study.Setting:The study was conducted in northern Italy in a laboratory setting.Participants:Forty-eight younger adults (Mage = 23.29; SD = 2.20) and 48 older adults (Mage = 70.19; SD = 5.13).Measurements:Prosocial behavior was measured using the Dictator Game in which participants split a sum of money with recipients presented with four levels of description: no information, physical description, positive psychological description, and negative psychological description. In addition, participants performed tasks on emphatic concern, Theory of Mind, and reasoning.Results:Results showed that older adults are more prosocial than younger adults in the Dictator Game. This finding was evident when the recipient was described with positive psychological and physical features. This pattern of results was statistically explained by the reduction in reasoning ability.Conclusion:These findings suggest a relationship between age-related reduction in reasoning ability and older adults’ prosocial behavior. The theoretical and practical implication of the empirical findings are discussed.

Uncertainty about the impact of social decisions increases prosocial behavior

10.31234/osf.io/z7a3w ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Andreas Kappes ◽

Anne-Marie Nussberger ◽

Nadira Sophie Faber ◽

Guy Kahane ◽

Julian Savulescu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

Prosocial Behavior ◽

Social Life ◽

Past Research ◽

Well Being ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Economic Decisions ◽

Social Decisions ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Uncertainty about how our choices will affect others infuses social life. Past research suggests uncertainty has a negative effect on prosocial behavior by enabling people to adopt self-serving narratives about their actions. We show that uncertainty does not always promote selfishness. We introduce a distinction between two types of uncertainty that have opposite effects on prosocial behavior. Previous work focused on outcome uncertainty: uncertainty about whether or not a decision will lead to a particular outcome. But as soon as people’s decisions might have negative consequences for others, there is also impact uncertainty: uncertainty about how badly others’ well-being will be impacted by the negative outcome. Consistent with past research, we found decreased prosocial behavior under outcome uncertainty. In contrast, prosocial behavior was increased under impact uncertainty in incentivized economic decisions and hypothetical decisions about infectious disease threats. Perceptions of social norms paralleled the behavioral effects. The effect of impact uncertainty on prosocial behavior did not depend on the individuation of others or the mere mention of harm, and was stronger when impact uncertainty was made more salient. Our findings offer insights into communicating uncertainty, especially in contexts where prosocial behavior is paramount, such as responding to infectious disease threats.

Domineering Dispositions and Hierarchy Preferences: Differentiating the Impact of Traits and Social Values in Economic Games

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin ◽

10.1177/0146167220965292 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 014616722096529

Author(s):

Robin Bergh ◽

Jim Sidanius

Keyword(s):

Bargaining Power ◽

Social Values ◽

Ultimatum Game ◽

Dictator Game ◽

Value Orientations ◽

The Other ◽

Third Party ◽

Total N ◽

Economic Games ◽

In this article, we examined the relation between valuing hierarchies (dominant value orientations) and personally wanting to get ahead, without regard for others’ welfare (domineering dispositions). Survey data from five studies (total N > 1,500) indicated differences between being domineering and endorsing dominant value orientations. This distinction was also evident in different strategies in economic games. Domineering individuals typically gave less to a powerless player (dictator game) but changed behaviors when the other party possessed bargaining power (ultimatum game). Individuals endorsing dominant value orientations did not show such “exploitative opportunism.” In a third-party punishment task, in contrast, individuals with dominant value orientations were more likely to intervene against fair decisions (i.e., upholding inequalities between others). Correcting behaviors of others were not predicted by domineering dispositions. We discuss implications for distinguishing between traits and social values more broadly.

Property Damage and Exposure to Other People in Distress Differentially Predict Prosocial Behavior After a Natural Disaster

Psychological Science ◽

10.1177/0956797619826972 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 563-575 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tom Vardy ◽

Quentin D. Atkinson

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Prosocial Behavior ◽

Natural Disasters ◽

Dictator Game ◽

Property Damage ◽

Prosocial Motives ◽

Before And After ◽

Contrast Exposure ◽

Group Members ◽

Cooperative Decision Making

The persistent threat of natural disasters and their attendant resource shocks has likely shaped our prosocial drives throughout human evolution. However, it remains unclear how specific experiences during these events might impact cooperative decision making. We conducted two waves of four modified dictator-game experiments with the same individuals in Vanuatu ( N = 164), before and after Cyclone Pam in 2015. After the cyclone, participants were generally less likely to show prosocial motives toward both in-group and out-group members and more likely to show parochialism when sharing between groups. Experiencing greater property damage predicted a general decrease in prosocial allocations and preference for participants’ in-group. By contrast, exposure to other people in distress predicted increased prosocial allocations to both participants’ in-group and out-groups. Our results suggest that people adjust their prosocial behavior in response to natural disasters but that the nature and direction of the effect depend on the type and severity of their experiences.

Dispositional Self-Confidence in Judgment and Framing Bias Susceptibility in a Dynamic Decision Making Environment

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/107118139704100157 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 249-253

Author(s):

Thomas E. Nygren ◽

Terry Ransom-Flint

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Past Research ◽

Flight Simulation ◽

Dynamic Decision Making ◽

Actual Performance ◽

Self Confidence ◽

High Workload ◽

Frame Condition ◽

Decision Making Behavior ◽

Decision-makers demonstrate framing bias when their decision making behavior is a function of the contextual presentation or framing (positive or negative) of the decision problem. Framing effects in simple, static situations (e.g., gambling) have been well documented, but past research on framing has typically ignored both dynamic environments and the effects of predispositional variables like risk-taking tendency and confidence in judgment. We examined the impact of these influences by exposing participants who measured either very high or low in decision making self-confidence to a high workload environment with either an “opportunity for gain” or a “threat of loss” decision frame condition. Participants performed a multi-task, computer-generated flight simulation program (the MAT) for 30 minutes. Results indicated that participants' actual performance on the MAT subtasks could be affected by the framing manipulation, and also that their decision strategies to optimize task performance were influenced by both by the framing manipulation and their self-confidence level.