Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 26, 2026
14:43
A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
13.7K
Third-Party Cooperation: How Reducing Material Involvement Enhances Contributions to the Public Good
Annabel B Losecaat Vermeer1, Roeland L Heerema2, Alan G Sanfey3
1Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands University of Vienna, Austria annabel.losecaat.vermeer@univie.ac.at.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|February 12, 2016
Summary
Cooperation increases when individuals make decisions for a third party rather than themselves. This enhanced collective interest, observed in public goods games, may stem from perspective-taking and social norm preferences.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Economics
- Social Psychology
- Game Theory
Background:
- Cooperative decisions are frequently delegated to third parties.
- Understanding the motives behind third-party cooperation is crucial for social dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how cooperation differs when decisions benefit oneself versus a third party.
- To identify the social motives driving cooperation in third-party contexts.
Main Methods:
- Participants engaged in multiple rounds of a public goods game (PGG).
- Study 1 manipulated personal involvement (Self, Shared, Third Party).
- Study 2 compared cooperation with social (human) versus non-social (computer) partners.
Main Results:
- Cooperation was highest when personal involvement was lowest (Third Party) and lowest when involvement was high (Self).
- Reducing personal involvement increased cooperation in social contexts more than in non-social contexts.
- This suggests enhanced collective interest when acting for others.
Conclusions:
- Delegating cooperative decisions to a third party can increase contributions.
- Perspective-taking and adherence to social norms appear to drive increased cooperation for others.
- Findings highlight the importance of social context in third-party cooperation.
Related Concept Videos
01:37Social Loafing
39.8K
Another way in which a group presence can affect performance is social loafing—the exertion of less effort by a person working together with a group. Social loafing occurs when our individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group. Thus, group performance declines on easy tasks (Karau & Williams, 1993). Essentially individual group members loaf and let other group members pick up the slack. Because each individual’s efforts cannot be evaluated,...
39.8K
01:03Altruism
48.7K
Altruistic behaviors are “unselfish” behaviors—those that help another individual at the expense of the individual carrying out the behavior. Despite the negative consequences for the altruistic animal, these behaviors are thought to have evolved for several reasons.
48.7K
01:26Microbial Interactions: Cooperation
18
Microbial cooperation involves beneficial interactions in which different species work together for individual or mutual advantage. These interactions can profoundly influence ecological dynamics and evolutionary processes, and they are essential to many pathogenic and symbiotic relationships.Nematode–Bacteria CooperationA striking example is the relationship between the Gram-negative bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila and the parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Juvenile nematodes...
18
01:25Impact of Individuals on a Group
406
In social psychology, the interplay between individuals and groups is a central concern, particularly regarding how individual actions and characteristics influence group processes and outcomes. While much research emphasizes the group's power in shaping individual behavior, it is equally significant to understand how individuals contribute to the functioning, development, and success of groups.Individual Roles in Group Productivity and Decision-MakingIndividuals are not passive participants in...
406
02:06Social Exchange Theory
40.9K
We have discussed why we form relationships, what attracts us to others, and different types of love. But what determines whether we are satisfied with and stay in a relationship? One theory that provides an explanation is social exchange theory. According to social exchange theory, we act as naïve economists in keeping a tally of the ratio of costs and benefits of forming and maintaining a relationship with others (Rusbult & Van Lange, 2003).
40.9K
01:26Social Exchange Theory
707
As formulated by John Thibaut and Harold Kelley, Social Exchange Theory explains human relationships as economic-like exchanges that maximize rewards and minimize costs. This theory suggests that individuals engage in relationships to gain benefits and reduce burdens, similar to economic transactions. It has been widely applied to various types of relationships, including romantic, professional, and social interactions.Rewards and Costs in RelationshipsRelationship rewards include emotional...
707