The effect of subjective social status on prosocial risky behavior

The
crisis of inequality in human society has profound implications, particularly
in the context of risky helping dilemmas. This study examined the relationship
between subjective social status and prosocial risky behavior (PRB) and its
mediating mechanisms at both the trait and situational levels. Study 1 examined
the relationship between trait subjective social status, holistic thinking, and
PRB intention using a questionnaire. Study 2 further examined the causal
relationships between situational subjective social status and PRB, their
boundary conditions, and mediating mechanisms using experimental methods. The
results showed that low-status individuals (vs. high-status individuals) tended
to engage in more PRB for both trait and situational subjective social status. This
difference existed only in the high-risk level condition. Furthermore, holistic thinking mediated the relationship between
subjective social status and PRB. This has important implications for
mitigating social status differences and promoting the positive synchronization
of individual risk and social preferences.