Selfish....or Selfless

[Noahfingway]

I saw the following article and thought back through my life...I can see times when I exhibited both behaviors.

University's study shows the reality of co-operation

A NEW study by Edinburgh University researchers has confirmed what fans of reality TV shows already know - people co-operate when it suits them, but put the boot in when it doesn't.
The study showed that individuals will work as part of a team to outsmart opponents, but co-operate less when they think they are competing against each other. The findings were based on a series of experiments in which participants were offered cash incentives to help others.

The study was aimed at explaining the puzzle of why some species carry out costly co-operative behaviour which benefits other individuals, even though the Darwinian notion of survival of the fittest suggests they should look after their own interests.
It was based on the results of a classic game of bluff called the Prisoner's Dilemma, in which players mimic the behaviour of two criminals, who can either "co-operate" by remaining silent about a joint crime or "defect" by incriminating the other.
The Edinburgh study is the first to measure levels of co-operation between opposing groups and within teams of players. Students played the game in small groups, with cash rewards to encourage competition between groups and within groups.
The researchers found that when competition was between groups, the top scores in the room won money, which led to co-operation within teams.
But when competition was within groups, the top players in each group won money, which led to selfish conflict within teams.
Dr Stuart West, of the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences, said: "The study shows that when individuals have to compete within groups, cooperation becomes less likely."



I have seen this work both ways in sales contests, sports, school (how many times have you had to pull weight for those dullards) I even see it in my own kids.

Does it just depend on the mentality you bring into the situation or strictly upon the construction of the goals?

[slugymay]

Most research has also shown that the number of iterations influence the amount of cooperation. If the game is played again and again then the level of cooperation increases, this is referred to as the "norm of reciprocity".

Prisoner's dilemma games illustrate this point the best. People are only as selfless as they need to be to receive the same selfless behavior in return.

[Nick Postagulous]

Which reminds me, when does Big Brother start?