Effect of the Perception of Others’ Status on Prosocial Behavior Prestige and Domination in Trust

This study examines the link between how people perceive others’ social status and prosocial behavior, viewing the latter as a key aspect of social and cooperative interactions. Due to conflicting findings in previous research, this study investigates how status acquisition strategies—such as prestige or dominance—impact prosocial choices, particularly when perceptions of others’ status vary. To achieve this, a pre-experimental study was conducted with 261 university students, who participated in a modified trust game where they decided whether to give and expect money back from individuals they perceived as higher, equal, or lower in status. The study also measured perceptions of dominance, prestige, and exposure to life shocks. The main result shows that, unexpectedly, prestige does not directly predict prosocial behavior, while dominance does when interacting with lower-status individuals. Additionally, external shocks have mixed effects on prosocial behavior. These findings suggest that prosocial behavior is not solely determined by status but also depends on strategic perceptions, relational context, and past experiences, which have important implications for understanding leadership, cooperation, and social cohesion.