Inferences about interdependence shape cooperation

Daniel Balliet*, Björn Lindström

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalReview articleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

During social interactions in daily life, people possess imperfect knowledge of their interdependence (i.e., how behaviors affect each person's outcomes), and what people infer about their interdependence can shape their behaviors. We review theory and research that suggests people can infer their interdependence with others along several dimensions, including mutual dependence, power, and corresponding-versus-conflicting interests. We discuss how perceptions of interdependence affect how people cooperate and punish others’ defection in everyday life. We propose that people understand their interdependence with others through knowledge of the action space, cues during social interactions (e.g., partner behaviors), and priors based on experience. Finally, we describe how learning interdependence could occur through domain-specific and domain-general mechanisms.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)583-595
Number of pages13
JournalTrends in Cognitive Sciences
Volume27
Issue number6
Early online date12 Apr 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was funded by an ERC Consolidator Grant ( 864519 ) awarded to D.B.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s)

Funding

This research was funded by an ERC Consolidator Grant ( 864519 ) awarded to D.B.

FundersFunder number
European Research Council864519
European Research Council

    Keywords

    • conflict
    • cooperation
    • interdependence
    • learning
    • power
    • punishment

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