Feeling Generous Under Uncertainty

Participants first complete a baseline dictator game, after which they are randomly assigned to either an uncertainty or control condition before making additional allocation decisions. Following these decisions, participants report their self-perceived generosity, both in absolute terms and relative to others.

Consistent with prior work, uncertainty does not significantly affect self-perceived generosity across measures, although perceived generosity varies systematically with baseline giving behavior. These results suggest that while uncertainty may influence decision-making in some contexts, individuals’ evaluations of their own past actions remain anchored to their observed behavior. These findings have implications for understanding prosocial behavior in real-world settings, where outcomes are often uncertain, and for identifying the psychological mechanisms linking behavior to moral self-image.</p>