BIO

My name is Lauren Robbins and I am a sophomore at Florida State University majoring in psychology. After undergraduate school, I plan on going to graduate school and working towards a degree with a focus in either Social or Clinical psychology programs.

Mechanisms that promote cooperative behavior in groups.

Abstract

Cooperation is crucial for human success. People cooperate with close friends and family, their community, and even complete strangers. One mechanism that promotes cooperation is punishment. The consequences associated with punishment include: preventing future wrongdoings, or setting a precedent of unacceptable behavior. Another (understudied) mechanism that may increase cooperation is compensation or reward which can redeem the victim or promote behavior that is favorable. With this in mind, we focused on dominance and prestige oriented traits throughout our study to learn about how cooperation is promoted in group settings.

Keywords: Cooperation, dominance, prestige