Author(s)

Liangyu Liu, Jiaxiong Ma

Corresponding Author

Liangyu Liu

Abstract

The current research applies Stroop task and the variants of Dictator game to investigate the effects of loss situations and self-depletion on individual altruistic behavior. The result shows that the altruistic behavior of individuals in the loss situations was influenced by self-control resources and the self-depleted individuals’ altruistic levels significantly declined; Loss situations further deepened the degree of individual self-depletion, thus the level of altruism was lower than the gain situations. Our research confirms the idea that individuals' altruistic behavior in the loss situations is deliberately controlled by the rational system, given that loss situations can accelerate the consumption of self-control resources. The current research aims at further investigating the nature of human altruism.

Keywords

Loss situations, Altruistic behavior, Self-depletion