BIO

I am interested in social evolutionary psychology specifically, the role of individual personality traits in larger group decision making. I hope to continue studying psychology after undergrad and obtain a PhD in social psychology. In addition to learning I love teaching and hope to one day teach the next generation of researchers in a college environment.

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 the prevention of future wrongdoings and setting a precedent of unacceptable behavior. Another (understudied) mechanism is reward, which can redeem the victim and increase downstream cooperation. The current work used the dual strategies framework of dominance and prestige to understand when and why people punish selfish others or reward cooperators.

Keywords: cooperation, dominance, prestige, reward, punishment