1 research outputs found
Causes of variation in human cooperative behaviour
This thesis investigates variation in human cooperative behaviour in naturally occurring
contexts. I critically assess the prevailing consensus on human cooperation derived from
laboratory games (such as the dictator and public goods games), by identifying real life
analogues and conducting extensive field observation and experiments. My second chapter
investigates the importance of context on social behaviour by taking a commonly used
laboratory game, the dictator game, and studying analogous behaviour, giving to mendicants
in the street. I conclude that individuals cooperate less in the wild than they do in the
laboratory and that monetary pay-offs are important in cooperative decision-making. My
third chapter examines how social cues influence peoples’ likelihood of giving to
mendicants. I conclude that increased group size and crowd density negatively affect
donation behaviour. My fourth chapter investigates dog fouling in public parks to understand
the causes of variation in cheating in a naturally occurring public goods game. I conclude
that despite evidence that a social game is being played, the cues that influences decisions
are unclear, and behaviour may depend on local social norms. My fifth chapter investigates
social influences on red light jumping by cyclists at pedestrian crossings. I find that the
probability of cheating is higher with fewer observers and when other cyclists also cheat