Social value orientation and cooperative behavior: A moderated mediation model
Hongli Yan1, Chao Fu2, Ming Zhang2
1Gansu Vocational College of Communications, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730071, PR China.
Acta Psychologica
|July 20, 2026
Summary
Social value orientation influences cooperative behavior through cooperative expectations. This link is strengthened by higher aversion to betrayal, clarifying psychological pathways in social dilemmas.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
- Decision Science
Background:
- Social value orientation (SVO) is linked to cooperation.
- The psychological mechanisms and boundary conditions of this link need further exploration.
- Cooperative expectations and betrayal aversion are key factors in cooperative decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating role of cooperative expectations in the SVO-cooperative behavior relationship.
- To examine whether betrayal aversion moderates this indirect association.
- To clarify the psychological pathway and boundary conditions linking SVO and cooperation.
Main Methods:
- A statistical moderated mediation model was employed.
- The study analyzed the interplay between social value orientation, cooperative expectations, betrayal aversion, and cooperative behavior.
- This approach allowed for testing mediation and moderation hypotheses simultaneously.
Main Results:
- Cooperative expectations significantly mediated the relationship between SVO and cooperative behavior.
- Betrayal aversion moderated the indirect effect, strengthening the SVO-cooperation link via expectations when betrayal aversion was high.
- The findings support a moderated mediation model.
Conclusions:
- Cooperative expectations are a key psychological mechanism linking SVO to cooperative behavior.
- Betrayal aversion acts as a boundary condition, amplifying the effect of SVO on cooperation under conditions of high aversion.
- Understanding these factors enhances insights into social dilemma behavior.
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