What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine how communication conditions and the risk of financial loss affect cooperation, defection, and expectations of peer behavior in a commons dilemma.

January 1, 1977Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Behavior, communication, and assumptions about other people's behavior in a commons dilemma situation.

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

RDRobyn M. DawesUniversity of California, Riverside JMJeanne McTavish HSHarriet ShakleeSprint (United States)

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Laboratory experiment demonstrates that relevant communication reduces defection in eight-person groups, indicating that direct discussion aligns expectations and promotes mutual cooperation.

Key Points

To determine how communication conditions and the risk of financial loss affect cooperation, defection, and expectations of peer behavior in a commons dilemma.
Conducted two experiments involving an 8-person commons dilemma where subjects made a single incentivized choice with monetary outcomes ranging from $0 to $10.50.
In Experiment 1, crossed four communication conditions (no communication, irrelevant communication, relevant communication, and relevant communication plus roll call) with financial risk (loss vs. no loss).
In Experiment 2, replicated key communication conditions and compared behavioral predictions generated by active participants against those made by neutral observers.
Defection was significantly higher in conditions with no communication or irrelevant communication compared to relevant communication and relevant communication plus roll call.
The possibility of monetary loss had no significant effect on participants' decisions to cooperate or defect.
Defectors expected substantially higher rates of defection from fellow group members than cooperators did.

Cite This Study

Dawes et al. (1977) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a08fc5a2142fc3a3073af9c https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.35.1.1

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Implication

Laboratory experiment demonstrates that relevant communication reduces defection in eight-person groups, indicating that direct discussion aligns expectations and promotes mutual cooperation.

Behavior, communication, and assumptions about other people's behavior in a commons dilemma situation.

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Behavior, communication, and assumptions about other people's behavior in a commons dilemma situation.

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider