What Is Social about Pro-Social Behaviour? Norms, Frames, Networks and Social Identity
What Is Social about Pro-Social Behaviour? Norms, Frames, Networks and Social Identity
Wednesday, 9 July 2025: 09:00-10:45
Location: FSE024 (Faculty of Education Sciences (FSE))
RC45 Rational Choice (host committee) Language: English
Prosocial behavior encompasses actions undertaken by an individual to benefit others, often at a personal cost. The occurrence of costly behavior that aids genetically unrelated individuals is a uniquely human phenomenon, presenting a scientific puzzle explored across various fields, including biology, social psychology, economics, political science, and sociology. The Rational Choice Theory (RCT) has guided research on cooperation in social dilemmas (Buskens and Raub 2013). However, empirical studies on social dilemmas indicate that RCT does not accurately capture individual behavior in simple one-shot interactions (e.g. Bartling and Özdemir 2023, Fehr and Gächter 2002). To address these empirical observations, new theoretical models have been developed, modifying some basic assumptions of RCT to account for cooperative and prosocial behavior. For instance, economists have created models that incorporate social preferences into the actor’s utility function, reflecting the utility gained from the impact of one's actions on the welfare of others (e.g., Fehr and Schmidt 1999). Sociologists have focused on situational factors, developing theoretical models about external social forces such as reputation, social networks, social norms, group identity and collective agency. Despite these social mechanisms promoting prosocial behavior often relying on external factors, the inherent tension between prosociality and selfishness remains a significant challenge in developing theories of action.
The present session aims at collecting studies that focus on prosocial behaviors. In particular, we welcome contributions focusing on mechanisms or phenomena related to:
pro-social behavior;
cooperative networks;
social norms;
collective agency;
group identification and collective action;
decision-making in uncertain settings.
Session Organizers:
Oral Presentations