Social observation differentially affects prosocial learning of selfish and prosocial people
People often exhibit more socially favorable behaviors when observed by others, potentially influencing their cognitive skills and prosocial tendencies. Recent studies have found that individuals with intrinsic prosocial tendencies are non-responsive to social observation in various prosocial decisi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1440302/full |
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| author | Yuri Kim Kun Il Kim Hackjin Kim |
| author_facet | Yuri Kim Kun Il Kim Hackjin Kim |
| author_sort | Yuri Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | People often exhibit more socially favorable behaviors when observed by others, potentially influencing their cognitive skills and prosocial tendencies. Recent studies have found that individuals with intrinsic prosocial tendencies are non-responsive to social observation in various prosocial decision tasks. This study aimed to investigate whether individuals with intrinsic prosocial tendencies also exhibit a lack of change in their cognitive ability under social observation. We used the Prosocial Reinforcement Learning Task (PRLT) to assess the interaction effect of social observation and intrinsic prosocial tendency on prosocial learning tendency. A total of 102 participants were randomly assigned to either the observation or control group while performing a two-armed bandit task under self- and other-reward conditions, and their behavioral outcomes were analyzed using a reinforcement learning computational model. Under social observation, participants who were previously less prosocial exhibited increased prosocial learning. In contrast, those who were already more prosocial showed no significant changes in prosociality, and demonstrated only a numerical—but statistically non-significant—increase in learning for self. Our findings revealed the differential effects of social observation on modulating one’s prosociality and cognitive ability according to individual differences in intrinsic prosocial tendencies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-183db68f723b4f35a3e04d94af82da00 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-183db68f723b4f35a3e04d94af82da002025-02-12T07:25:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-02-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.14403021440302Social observation differentially affects prosocial learning of selfish and prosocial peopleYuri KimKun Il KimHackjin KimPeople often exhibit more socially favorable behaviors when observed by others, potentially influencing their cognitive skills and prosocial tendencies. Recent studies have found that individuals with intrinsic prosocial tendencies are non-responsive to social observation in various prosocial decision tasks. This study aimed to investigate whether individuals with intrinsic prosocial tendencies also exhibit a lack of change in their cognitive ability under social observation. We used the Prosocial Reinforcement Learning Task (PRLT) to assess the interaction effect of social observation and intrinsic prosocial tendency on prosocial learning tendency. A total of 102 participants were randomly assigned to either the observation or control group while performing a two-armed bandit task under self- and other-reward conditions, and their behavioral outcomes were analyzed using a reinforcement learning computational model. Under social observation, participants who were previously less prosocial exhibited increased prosocial learning. In contrast, those who were already more prosocial showed no significant changes in prosociality, and demonstrated only a numerical—but statistically non-significant—increase in learning for self. Our findings revealed the differential effects of social observation on modulating one’s prosociality and cognitive ability according to individual differences in intrinsic prosocial tendencies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1440302/fullthird-party observeraudience effectreputationreinforcement learningprosocialityimpression management |
| spellingShingle | Yuri Kim Kun Il Kim Hackjin Kim Social observation differentially affects prosocial learning of selfish and prosocial people Frontiers in Psychology third-party observer audience effect reputation reinforcement learning prosociality impression management |
| title | Social observation differentially affects prosocial learning of selfish and prosocial people |
| title_full | Social observation differentially affects prosocial learning of selfish and prosocial people |
| title_fullStr | Social observation differentially affects prosocial learning of selfish and prosocial people |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social observation differentially affects prosocial learning of selfish and prosocial people |
| title_short | Social observation differentially affects prosocial learning of selfish and prosocial people |
| title_sort | social observation differentially affects prosocial learning of selfish and prosocial people |
| topic | third-party observer audience effect reputation reinforcement learning prosociality impression management |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1440302/full |
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