The Influence Of The Social Status Of The Violators On The Third Party Punishment

Social situational factors impact on the cost of punishment was one of the most important research fields about the third party punishment in recent years.However,the study on this field only limited on third party,the research from the perspective of offenders was relatively rare,and most of the existing researches focused on symmetric cases between violator and people who jeopardized the interests,rather than on the unsymmetrical condition that were more close to the realistic situation.So adopted the paradigm of public goods game,this study discussed the influence of offenders' social status on third party punishment,the mediating role of social expectation,and the moderating role of third party status carrying out two studies,three experiments.In the first study,participants were showed the illegal situation about different status(high / low)to investigate the third party(subjects)as a spectator's willingness to sacrifice their own cost to do penalty decision(controlling social value orientation of the subjects),as well as the mediating role of social expectations.In study two,two experiments were investigated the moderating role of the third party's status by manipulated the social status and measurement of the subjective status.The main conclusions of this study were as follows:(1)The social status of the offenders affected the third party punishment.When the violator was in the highland position,they often were punished more severely.It was more obvious in the case of serious violation.(2)The social status of the violators did not lead to the third party punishment directly,it affected the level of the individual's social expectations,and then affected the punishment.(3)It is necessary to confirm the individual's status when the individual paid the price for the punishment decision.The cost of punishment paid by the third party with high status identity was more expensive,and it was more obvious in the case of serious violation.(4)The status of the third party played a regulatory role in the relationship between the status of the violators and the punishment of the third party.Whether the third party's status ishigh or low,high status offenders are given greater punishment,this trend was more obvious when the third party was in the high position.In summary,this study has not only enriched the social situational factors on the influence of third party punishment from the perspective of offenders,but also has a certain practical significance.In view of the fact that people with high status(or groups)are at the higher level of society,they are usually highly expected by society.Once violating this expectation,they will be largely opposed or punished.Therefore,high status members should contribute more to the development and progress of society and assume their own social responsibilities.In addition,as members with high status,they should be brave to fight against violations and maintain social norms better.