Social rejection influences prosocial sharing decision-making in inequality contexts

Previous literature proposed that the fair distribution of resources between self and other is the basic societal norm in prosocial sharing decisions. This study explored how socially rejected individuals make prosocial sharing decisions in different inequality contexts using economic games and computational modeling. Seventy-four adults were exposed to either a social rejection or a neutral manipulation, and then completed computerized monetary incentive sharing decision-making tasks. Estimated prosocial decision parameters revealed that individuals without social rejection demonstrated typical asymmetrical patterns of sharing - preferring to share in advantageous equality rather than in disadvantageous inequality. Contrarily, individuals who experienced social rejection demonstrated symmetrical patterns with no difference in sharing between advantageous and disadvantageous inequality contexts. Socially rejected individuals were more likely to share when the perception of the rejection was harsher, and sharing experience did not elicit negative affect but reduced stress. The findings suggest that the experience of social rejection affects the pattern of sharing decision-making in inequality contexts. These outcomes may reflect psychosocial coping strategies for mitigating the negative impact of social rejection.