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.