Reflectivity relates differently to pro sociality in naïve and strategic subjects

Abstract

Is pro sociality a natural impulse or the result of a self-controlled behavior? We investigate this issue in a lab in the field experiment with participants from the general adult population in Italy. We find two key results: first, that there is a positive relationship between pro sociality and strategic reasoning. Second, that reflectivity relates to lower pro sociality but only among strategic subjects, indicating that the intuitive view of pro sociality is valid only among strategic individuals. Non-strategic individuals are instead intuitively selfish. We surmise that these results emerge due to a common cognitive root between strategizing and pro sociality, namely empathy.

Information prioritization underpins the flexible expression of social preferences under time constraints.

“…Critically, such work could not only shed new insight into the fundamental socio-cognitive processes that enable people to flexibly adapt to a myriad of social situations but also inform more effective, personalized interventions that seek to increase prosocial behavior. RUNNING HEAD: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES, CONTEXT & PROSOCIAL CHOICES In particular, an extensive body of work has documented robust individual differences in whether time constraints make people more or less prosocial (Chen et al, 2023;Chen & Krajbich, 2018;Cornelissen et al, 2011;Pancotto & Righi, 2021). Specifically, time pressure tends to exacerbate individual differences in social preferences: selfish people tend to make more selfish choices under time constraints while prosocial people tend to make more prosocial choices.…”

The Games We Play: Prosocial Choices Under Time Pressure Reflect Context-Sensitive Information Priorities

“…However, these methods have led to conflicting results; people sometimes become more selfish under time pressure ( Capraro & Cococcioni, 2016 ; Krawczyk & Sylwestrzak, 2018 ; Teoh et al, 2020 ) and sometimes more prosocial ( Bouwmeester et al, 2017 ; Rand, 2016 ; Rand et al, 2012 ). One possible explanation for such conflicting results is that individuals differ in their intuitions; some are predisposed toward prosociality and others toward selfishness ( Chen & Krajbich, 2018 ; Cornelissen et al, 2011 ; Pancotto & Righi, 2021 ). But this does not fully explain seemingly large and systematic differences in the effects of time pressure across studies.…”