The stigma of counternormative prosociality

People shy away from prosocial behavior because it costs money, time, or emotional and cognitive resources. We argue that there is another, less studied, and sometimes counterintuitive cost to prosociality: its stigmatization by external observers when such behavior counters established social norms. We review findings previously studied as separate entities in order to explain how prosocial behavior, and those who engage in it, may be stigmatized when their prosociality can be perceived as counternormative. Specifically, 1) we review literature that highlights the importance of selfish and selfless norms, 2) we explain why devaluation of prosocial behavior can be additionally understood as a reaction to counternormativity when one perceives a violation of such norms, and 3) discuss the importance of taking the stigmatization of counternormative prosociality into account and examining its broader implications when interpreting social psychological findings on prosocial behavior. Lastly, we briefly highlight fruitful intervention approaches and future directions.