Preferences for costly cooperation are highly individualized: A replication and extension of Curioni et al. (2022)

Abstract

When deciding between action alternatives, we use information about the relative costs and rewards of each action to choose an appropriate plan. Participants of a recent study by Curioni et al. (2022) showed strong preferences for completing a virtual box-clearing task cooperatively with a partner rather than alone, despite it being more costly. Participants completed the task standing beside each other in close proximity which may have created a social pressure to cooperate through a need to manage one’s reputation or a sense of commitment. Here, 50 human pairs, each composed of a "Decision-maker" and "Helper", completed a box- clearing task modelled after Curioni et al. while seated farther away and out of view of one another. In 50% of trials, Decision-makers were forced to complete the task alone or with the Helper. In the remaining 50% of trials, Decision-makers chose to work alone or cooperatively. When working together, participants were required to synchronize their movements without communication nor feedback of their partner’s movements. Decision-makers answered open-ended questions regarding why and when they chose to complete the task alone and together. Contrary to the model experiment, participants demonstrated a slight preference for individual action over costly joint action, although these preferences were not significantly different from chance. Inductive thematic analysis revealed two dominant themes: "chose actions with greater instrumental utility" and "chose actions with greater social value". The identified themes suggest that preferences to cooperate are highly individualized, and that cooperative action seems to provide additional social rewards which may drive preferences for costly cooperation.