Monetary Incentive and Cooperation/Competition Instructions in a Minimal Social Situation

To investigate the influence of monetary incentive and cooperation/competition instructions upon performance in a minimal social situation, pairs of Ss were interconnected so that the button-pressing responses of S 1 provided positive or negative rewards to S 2 , and vice versa. Competing Ss were told to make more points than the opponent. Cooperating Ss were told to make as high a combined score as possible. Ss were offered a monetary incentive for the highest score or no incentive. Analyses indicated more correct responses for cooperating Ss and no significant monetary incentive effects.