Severity and deservedness determine signalled trustworthiness in third party punishment

Abstract

Studies on third‐party punishment (TPP) have shown it promotes cooperation and prosocial behaviour, albeit at a cost to the punisher. Contrary to the view that such punishment is entirely altruistic, recent research suggests that punishers gain reputational benefits from third‐party punishing in the form of increased trustworthiness. Nevertheless, both how the signal is determined and the honesty of the signalling function of TPP have not been fully examined. Here we present the results of four experiments (n = 1695, prolific.co) in which we examined how TPP signalling varies as a function of its deservedness and severity. Experiments 1A and 1B use incentivized economic game paradigms to show how deservedness, impacts the trustworthiness signalled by the punisher. Experiment 2A expands on traditional dichotomous punishment decisions to show how signalled trustworthiness depends on different levels of TPP severity. Experiment 2B isolates the signalling effectiveness of severity by decoupling it from the corresponding incurred cost to punish and examines its impact on signalled trustworthiness. Overall, we found that punishment signalling is sensitive to deservedness and severity but not independent of other factors such as the cost to punish.

Teachers’ Punishment Intensity and Student Observer Trust: A Moderated Mediation Model

“…In particular, mild punishment was found to positively influence the observer's perception of trustworthiness, resulting in increased trust compared to no punishment. Consistent with previous research [14,24], as the intensity of punishment increases within a certain range, observers tend to perceive the individual as more trustworthy and to elicit greater levels of trust. Conversely, severe punishment was found to have a detrimental effect on the observer's perception of trustworthiness compared to mild punishment, ultimately leading to a decrease in trust, which further substantiates the findings of earlier studies [1].…”

“…During social interactions, individuals assess the trustworthiness of others by considering a range of cues, including personal characteristics (such as facial expressions and vocal intonation) and overt behaviours (such as acts of assistance or punishment), ultimately determining whether to place their trust in them [ 12 , 13 ]. Recent research indicates that third-party punishment intensity may impact observers’ trustworthiness evaluations and trust behaviours toward the punisher [ 1 , 14 ]. However, the current research predominantly concentrates on adult populations and organisational contexts, neglecting the examination of adolescent cohorts within the realm of educational administration.…”

“…Nevertheless, the signalling effect of punishment is not consistent and can be influenced by the intensity of the punishment. Trustworthiness, as perceived by the observer, tends to increase within a specific range as punishment becomes more intense [ 14 , 24 ]. However, once a certain threshold is surpassed, excessive discipline can diminish the trustworthiness of the disciplinarian [ 1 , 18 ].…”