Victims of Misfortune are Blamed for Imposing Costs on Others: Testing a Cooperation-Dilemma Factor in Victim-Blame

In four pre-registered studies, we tested implications from a cooperation model that explains victim-blaming and victim-devaluation as the result of cooperation dilemmas, as a way for people to avoid the costs of helping victims (who seem to be unpromising cooperation partners) without paying the reputational cost of being seen as ungenerous, reluctant cooperators. An implication of this perspective is that, if a victim of misfortune is seen as imposing costs on others by requesting help (as opposed to bearing the costs), they will be seen as persons of low character, avoided as future cooperators, and deemed responsible for their misfortune (seen as negligent). The four studies presented here support these predictions. The effect is not confounded by familiar or social obligations, as it occurs in the same way when the targets, from whom help is requested, are the victim’s parents, siblings, best friends or communities. Contrary to expectations, negligence attributions were not modulated by the victim’s being described as poor (in need of help) or rich (not in need).