Retributive Sentiments Track Both Deterrent and Compensatory Concerns in a Small-Scale Society and a WEIRD Sample

= 600). Consistent with compensatory concerns, participants demanded that victims be rewarded in the currency of their loss and that more severe punishment be imposed when victims suffered more, holding aggressor benefit constant. Consistent with compensation being entangled with deterrence, participants endorsed additional penalties beyond restitution that were higher for recidivism and intentional offenses. This proximate entanglement of compensation and deterrence helps resolve apparent contradictions about the function of punishment in humans.

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Publication Details

Journal
Psychological Science
Published
2026-05-11
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976261439088
Primary Topic
Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Retributive Sentiments Track Both Deterrent and Compensatory Concerns in a Small-Scale Society and a WEIRD Sample

Léo Fitouchi, Manvir Singh
Psychological Science
Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
article

Retributive Sentiments Track Both Deterrent and Compensatory Concerns in a Small-Scale Society and a WEIRD Sample

Léo Fitouchi, Manvir Singh
article en

Abstract

= 600). Consistent with compensatory concerns, participants demanded that victims be rewarded in the currency of their loss and that more severe punishment be imposed when victims suffered more, holding aggressor benefit constant. Consistent with compensation being entangled with deterrence, participants endorsed additional penalties beyond restitution that were higher for recidivism and intentional offenses. This proximate entanglement of compensation and deterrence helps resolve apparent contradictions about the function of punishment in humans.

Psychological Science
Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse (FR), University of California, Davis (US)
National Science Foundation, Harvard University, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University
Peace, Justice and strong institutions
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
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