File Photo: Psy Post
Recent study findings suggest that cynicism might explain why some people respond to social exclusion with prosocial behaviour, while others do not. After being excluded during a ball-tossing game, participants who were low in cynicism reacted with greater empathy and prosocial behaviour compared to those who were high in cynicism. The study, “Too cynical to reconnect: Cynicism moderates the effect of social exclusion on prosociality through empathy”, was co-authored by SMU postgraduate student Bryan K. C. Choy, SMU Assistant Professor of Psychology Kimin Eom and SMU Professor of Psychology Norman Li.