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Too good to be liked?: When and how prosocial others are disliked

Outstandingly prosocial individuals may not always be valued and admired, but sometimes depreciated and rejected. While prior research has mainly focused on devaluation of highly competent or successful individuals, comparable research in the domain of prosociality is scarce. The present research su...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Boileau, Lucia Lou-Anne (Author) , Grüning, David (Author) , Bless, Herbert (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 19 August 2021
Series:[Gold Open Access Universität Mannheim]
In: Frontiers in psychology
Year: 2021, Volume: 12, Pages: 1-13
ISSN:1664-1078
DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701689
Online Access:Resolving-System, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701689
Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://madoc.bib.uni-mannheim.de/60200
Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701689
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Author Notes:Lucia Lou-Anne L. Boileau, David J. Grüning and Herbert Bless
Description
Summary:Outstandingly prosocial individuals may not always be valued and admired, but sometimes depreciated and rejected. While prior research has mainly focused on devaluation of highly competent or successful individuals, comparable research in the domain of prosociality is scarce. The present research suggests two mechanisms why devaluation of extreme prosocial individuals may occur: they may (a) constitute very high comparison standards for observers, and may (b) be perceived as communal narcissists. Two experiments test these assumptions. We confronted participants with an extreme prosocial or an ordinary control target and manipulated comparative aspects of the situation (salient vs. non-salient comparison, Experiment 1), and narcissistic aspects of the target (showing off vs. being modest, Experiment 2). Consistent with our assumptions, the extreme prosocial target was liked less than the control target, and even more so when the comparison situation was salient (Experiment 1), and when the target showed off with her good deeds (Experiment 2). Implications that prosociality does not always breed more liking are discussed.
Item Description:Gesehen am 25.11.2021
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1664-1078
DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701689

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