Question 1

According to the textbook,what does being reminded of religion,being poor,and being exposed to violence have in common,which may create a culture conducive to cooperation?

Accepted Answer

The textbook suggests that being reminded of religion, being poor, and being exposed to violence all create a sense of interdependence among people in a culture, which may lead to a greater likelihood of cooperation.

Question 2

Henrich and his colleagues (2001)recruited individuals from 15 different small societies to play the ultimatum game.They found that individuals from cultures where people ________ offered more money to the responder.

Accepted Answer

This is because societies that need to collaborate with others to survive tend to have a stronger emphasis on fairness and equality, leading individuals to offer more money in the ultimatum game. Cultures that are more independent and competitive may prioritize individual gain over fairness, leading individuals to offer less money in the ultimatum game. The findings of Henrich and colleagues (2001) support this idea as they found that individuals from small-scale societies with high levels of interdependence offered more money in the ultimatum game.

Question 3

In the ________ strategy for the prisoner's dilemma game,an individual cooperates in the first round,and in all later rounds mimics the other person's behavior.

Accepted Answer

The tit-for-tat strategy involves starting with cooperation and then mimicking the other person's behavior in subsequent rounds. It is considered a successful strategy because it encourages cooperation between the players and avoids being taken advantage of by the other player. Therefore, the best choice is option C) tit-for-tat.

Question 4

Alex and Janet are playing ten rounds of a prisoner's dilemma game.If Janet is following the tit-for-tat strategy,what choices should she make across the ten rounds being played?

Accepted Answer

If Janet follows the tit-for-tat strategy, she will cooperate on the first round and then mimic Alex's choices in the following rounds. This strategy is based on reciprocity, meaning that if Alex cooperates, Janet will cooperate in the next round, and if Alex defects, Janet will also defect in the next round. This strategy encourages cooperation and mutual benefit, as both players will gain more points by cooperating than by defecting. Therefore, the best choice for Janet is to be cooperative on the first round, and then mimic Alex's choices.

Question 5

How does playing multiple rounds of the prisoner's dilemma game,instead of just one,change the way the game is played?

Accepted Answer

In multiple rounds of the prisoner's dilemma, players have the opportunity to build trust and establish a pattern of cooperation, as they can retaliate in future rounds if the other player defects. This potential for future interaction encourages more cooperative behavior.

Question 6

Robert Axelrod has argued that the success of the tit-for-tat strategy is due to five principles: the strategy is cooperative,not envious,

Accepted Answer

The tit-for-tat strategy is successful because it is forgiving, not exploitable, and easy to read, making it a robust approach in the iterated prisoner's dilemma and other scenarios requiring cooperation.

Question 7

Nick has been subliminally exposed to the word "hostile," Dan to the word "house," and Felix to the word "hungry." Which of these men is most likely to defect on a majority of the trials in a prisoner's dilemma game?

Accepted Answer

Nick, who was subliminally exposed to the word "hostile," is most likely to defect on a majority of the trials in a prisoner's dilemma game. The word "hostile" may have primed Nick to feel more aggressive and competitive, leading him to choose to defect more often. Dan, who was subliminally exposed to the word "house," and Felix, who was subliminally exposed to the word "hungry," are not likely to have their decisions in the game affected as much by these words. Therefore, the answer is A.

Question 8

In the arms race between India and Pakistan,each country must decide whether to keep building up its own arsenal or to stop spending money on arms and try to reach peace with the other country.Both will benefit most if each stops building up armaments,but each country is worried that if it stops spending money on weapons,the other one will keep buying weapons and gain an advantage.This situation is a real-world example of the

Accepted Answer

This situation is a classic example of the prisoner's dilemma. Both countries have the option to cooperate and reduce their military spending, which would benefit both in terms of resources and increased stability. However, each country is hesitant to be the first to do so because they fear the other country will continue to build up their weapons and gain an advantage. This creates a dilemma where both countries end up continuing to build up their arsenals, even though it is not in their best interest.

Question 9

The collective beliefs,evaluations,and impressions other people hold about an individual are referred to as his or her

Accepted Answer

Reputation is the collective beliefs, evaluations, and impressions that other people hold about an individual. Personal construal refers to an individual's interpretation or perception of their experiences or events. Self-schema refers to an individual's beliefs and ideas about themselves. Interaction history refers to an individual's past experiences in social interactions.

Question 10

Lauren is participating in research involving the prisoner's dilemma,but she has been told it is called the "Wall Street" game.David is participating in the same experiment,but he has been told the game is called the "community" game.How are these labels likely to affect their decisions?

Accepted Answer

The labels "Wall Street" and "community" are likely to prime participants with different sets of values or expectations. "Wall Street" may evoke a competitive, profit-maximizing mindset, leading Lauren to be more competitive. Conversely, "community" suggests cooperation and mutual support, making David more inclined to cooperate.

Question 11

The Machiguenga people of Peru collaborate little with others outside their family,whereas the Lamerala people of Indonesia collaborate extensively in fishing.Which group of people would we expect to give more money or resources to a stranger?

Accepted Answer

The Lamerala people's extensive collaboration in fishing suggests a greater degree of social interdependence and cooperation with outsiders. Therefore, they would be more likely to give money or resources to a stranger compared to the Machiguenga people who prioritize familial relationships and may be more hesitant to collaborate with outsiders.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT true concerning the tit-for-tat strategy and how it fared in Robert Axelrod's 200-round prisoner's dilemma tournament?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is NOT true...

Question 13

Trina is a straight-A student who takes detailed notes.Before an exam,four other students approach Trina and ask if she is willing to share her notes with them.Based on research on the situational determinants of cooperation,with whom is Trina most likely to share her notes?

Accepted Answer

According to research on the situational determinants of cooperation, people are more likely to cooperate with those they have a positive relationship or history with. Since Randy often studies with Trina, there is a higher chance that Trina will share her notes with him compared to the other options.

Question 14

Jane plays the prisoner's dilemma game while in an fMRI scanner.If Jane chooses to cooperate during the game,she is likely to exhibit increased activation in the same brain region that is activated when she

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D because the brain region that is activated when Jane chooses to cooperate during the prisoner's dilemma game is the same brain region that is activated when she looks at pictures of tropical vacations and when she tastes something sweet. This brain region is associated with reward and pleasure.

Question 15

Mateo's group of friends tends to engage in a fair amount of gossip,whereas Felipe's group of friends never gossips.Based on research on gossip,which of the two groups of friends would you expect to be more cooperative,and why?

Accepted Answer

Gossip can serve as a social control mechanism, where the threat or fear of being gossiped about may encourage individuals to behave more cooperatively to avoid negative social consequences.

Question 16

Of the following individuals,who is most likely to behave in a cooperative way?

Accepted Answer

Lillian is the most likely to behave in a cooperative way because she has just observed someone else being cooperative, which may increase her own inclination towards cooperation.

Question 17

In the typical prisoner's dilemma game,which of the following strategies would bring you the best immediate personal outcome as a participant?

Accepted Answer

In the prisoner's dilemma game, the best immediate personal outcome occurs when you defect (betray your partner) while your partner cooperates (stays silent). This scenario typically results in the lightest punishment for you and the heaviest for your partner, according to the game's payoff matrix.

Question 18

Research suggests that,in comparison to students who major in other subjects,students who major in economics are on average

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research suggests that,in comparison to students who...

Question 19

Which of the following statements best captures political scientist Robert Axelrod's perspective on cooperation?

Accepted Answer

Axelrod argues that cooperation is an innate part of our evolutionary heritage, and as proof, he points out that we observe it in a wide range of social contexts.

Question 20

In one study,students majoring in economics were more likely to ________ when playing the prisoner's dilemma game,compared with students majoring in other disciplines.

Accepted Answer

The prisoner's dilemma game is a classic example of game theory, where two players must decide whether to cooperate with each other or not. If both players cooperate, they both receive a moderate reward. If both defect, they both receive a punishment. However, if one player defects and the other cooperates, the defector receives a high reward while the cooperator receives a severe punishment. Economics students are more likely to defect because they have studied the concept of self-interest and maximizing individual gains through rational decision-making. They may see the opportunity to defect as a chance to gain a higher reward even though it comes at the cost of punishing their partner. Therefore, the best answer is A) Defect.

Quiz 14: Altruism and Cooperation