Empathic Social Interaction
The findings of the ultimatum game speak to a broader issue, the duality of social acceptance and marginalization. The experiment reveals the human desire to be treated equally and respectfully by others. Although it appeared to economists that anyone would be content with receiving a gift of money, the circumstances of the gift’s acquisition matter to us. This suggests that we need to be very conscious of the ways we try to welcome or integrate people into a particular group or society. If the situation is not proper, efforts to include could backfire and make our target audience feel evermore excluded from the environment. Therein comes empathy to allow us a glimpse into the other’s situation, providing the necessary information to cater to their lust of acceptance and create a favorable exchange for all parties concerned.