The impact of inequality on social value orientation: an eye-tracking study
IntroductionResearchers have developed the social value orientation (SVO) framework to describe prosocial tendencies. However, existing tools for measuring SVO lack sufficient attention to the effect of option inequality, driven by the inequality-aversion motive. In this research, we conducted an ey...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1521101/full |
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| author | Qian-Hui Wang Zi-Han Wei Wan-Ning Chen Yu Na Hui-Ming Gou Hong-Zhi Liu Hong-Zhi Liu |
| author_facet | Qian-Hui Wang Zi-Han Wei Wan-Ning Chen Yu Na Hui-Ming Gou Hong-Zhi Liu Hong-Zhi Liu |
| author_sort | Qian-Hui Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionResearchers have developed the social value orientation (SVO) framework to describe prosocial tendencies. However, existing tools for measuring SVO lack sufficient attention to the effect of option inequality, driven by the inequality-aversion motive. In this research, we conducted an eye-tracking experiment to compare the traditional SVO measure with the inequality-controlled condition, investigating how it influences estimated SVO values and underlying process mechanisms.MethodsA within-subjects eye-tracking experiment was conducted with 65 university students recruited from a university’s human subjects pool. Participants received 20 yuan (RMB; approximately US $2.9) in cash for their participation.ResultsSVOs were lower in the inequality-controlled condition than in the traditional SVO measure. Information processing, including complexity, depth, and direction, differed when fairness was controlled. The predictive effect of relative time advantage was also enhanced under controlled inequality conditions. In addition, the predictive effect of relative time advantage was stronger when controlling for option inequality, suggesting that controlling for option inequality enhances bottom-up information processing.DiscussionThese findings suggest that traditional SVO measures may overestimate prosocial tendencies due to a lack of inequality control. The study highlights the role of fairness evaluation in SVO assessments and provides insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying prosocial decision-making, offering guidance for future SVO measurements. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-409e049525bd49c19c9968e6d4bc213c |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-409e049525bd49c19c9968e6d4bc213c2025-08-20T03:04:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-02-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15211011521101The impact of inequality on social value orientation: an eye-tracking studyQian-Hui Wang0Zi-Han Wei1Wan-Ning Chen2Yu Na3Hui-Ming Gou4Hong-Zhi Liu5Hong-Zhi Liu6Department of Social Psychology, School of Sociology, Nankai University, Tianjin, ChinaKey Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, ChinaDepartment of Social Psychology, School of Sociology, Nankai University, Tianjin, ChinaDepartment of Social Psychology, School of Sociology, Nankai University, Tianjin, ChinaCollege of Cryptology and Cyber Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, ChinaDepartment of Social Psychology, School of Sociology, Nankai University, Tianjin, ChinaLaboratory of Behavioral Economics and Policy Simulation, Tianjin, ChinaIntroductionResearchers have developed the social value orientation (SVO) framework to describe prosocial tendencies. However, existing tools for measuring SVO lack sufficient attention to the effect of option inequality, driven by the inequality-aversion motive. In this research, we conducted an eye-tracking experiment to compare the traditional SVO measure with the inequality-controlled condition, investigating how it influences estimated SVO values and underlying process mechanisms.MethodsA within-subjects eye-tracking experiment was conducted with 65 university students recruited from a university’s human subjects pool. Participants received 20 yuan (RMB; approximately US $2.9) in cash for their participation.ResultsSVOs were lower in the inequality-controlled condition than in the traditional SVO measure. Information processing, including complexity, depth, and direction, differed when fairness was controlled. The predictive effect of relative time advantage was also enhanced under controlled inequality conditions. In addition, the predictive effect of relative time advantage was stronger when controlling for option inequality, suggesting that controlling for option inequality enhances bottom-up information processing.DiscussionThese findings suggest that traditional SVO measures may overestimate prosocial tendencies due to a lack of inequality control. The study highlights the role of fairness evaluation in SVO assessments and provides insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying prosocial decision-making, offering guidance for future SVO measurements.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1521101/fullsocial value orientationSVO ringinequalityeye-trackinginformation processing |
| spellingShingle | Qian-Hui Wang Zi-Han Wei Wan-Ning Chen Yu Na Hui-Ming Gou Hong-Zhi Liu Hong-Zhi Liu The impact of inequality on social value orientation: an eye-tracking study Frontiers in Psychology social value orientation SVO ring inequality eye-tracking information processing |
| title | The impact of inequality on social value orientation: an eye-tracking study |
| title_full | The impact of inequality on social value orientation: an eye-tracking study |
| title_fullStr | The impact of inequality on social value orientation: an eye-tracking study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of inequality on social value orientation: an eye-tracking study |
| title_short | The impact of inequality on social value orientation: an eye-tracking study |
| title_sort | impact of inequality on social value orientation an eye tracking study |
| topic | social value orientation SVO ring inequality eye-tracking information processing |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1521101/full |
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