The effect of third-party intervention on normative behavior of bystanders: An explanation of the social norm cueing effect

Abstract

Third-party interventions play a crucial role in upholding social norms and have evolutionary implications for human societies. Nevertheless, research on the effects of third-party interventions, particularly third-party compensation, on bystanders' norm compliance remains scarce. We conducted two studies to explore how third-party interventions affect bystanders' adherence to social norms and the underlying mechanisms, focusing on the perception of social norms. Study 1 examined the effects of third-party interventions, presented as group summary information, on bystanders using the dictator game paradigm. The findings revealed that both third-party punishment and compensation positively affected bystanders' fairness, with norm perceptions serving as a mediating factor. Employing a similar paradigm to Study 1, Study 2 assessed the effect of third-party interventions conveyed through individual behavior information on bystanders. The results showed that the effect of third-party interventions on bystanders' fairness depended on how representative the interventions were perceived to be. We conclude that both third-party compensation and third-party punishment can encourage bystanders to conform to social norms by shaping their norm perceptions. The findings suggest a novel method for reinforcing social norms, potentially signaling a shift from retributive to restorative justice approaches.