Generosity vs. Selfishness: It’s Personal, Not Societal

Recent research by Paul Bogdan from the University of Illinois and published in Cognitive Science, suggests that how individuals act in competitive situations is largely influenced by their own behavior, rather than the prevailing societal norms. In simple terms: if you’re generous, you’re more likely to reward others for being generous, but if you’re selfish, you might punish them for it — even if it’s at your own expense.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The study found that people’s own actions — whether generous or selfish — shape how they perceive others’ actions more than the behaviors and attitudes of the people around them.
2. Previously, experts believed that societal norms were the main factor steering how people behaved in competitive situations. For instance, if most people around you are selfish, you might think that’s the norm and act selfishly too. However, this study has challenged that view.
3. Paul Bogdan explained that while earlier beliefs focused on society’s influence, this study revealed that “your judgments of other people’s behavior really depend on how you behave yourself.”
4. The team used a money-sharing exercise called the “Ultimatum Game” to explore this behavior. In this game, one person proposes how to split a pot of money, and…