Cooperation and Conflict Flashcards

Flashcards on cooperation and conflict based on lecture notes.

Naturalistic Fallacy

The incorrect assumption that because a behavior is typical, it must be right, disregarding biological understanding of cooperation and conflict.

Motivational Autonomy

The idea that biology determines what COULD be, and not what MUST be; human flexibility in how building blocks are put together.

Human Group Living

Humans are group-living primates; heritage and current reality are key to understanding human behavior.

Chimpanzees

The closest living relatives to humans, sharing a common ancestor about 7 million years ago; two distinct species with different social behaviors.

Common Chimpanzee (Pan troglodyte)

Characterized by higher levels of aggression and stronger status competition within groups.

Bonobo (Pan paniscus)

Uses less violent means of conflict management, exhibits female leadership, and uses sexual behavior for conflict resolution.

Homo Neanderthalensis

A non-living relative, physically bigger and stronger than humans, overlapping with bio-modern humans for about 200k years; used tools and possibly had spoken language.

Hunter-Gatherer Culture

Characterized by small bands of related people, low population density, egalitarianism, and risk aversion; mass violence was rare before agriculture.

Rational Choice Models

Economic models assuming human behavior is 'rational' and self-interested; questioned for not always matching reality.

Game Theory

A framework for understanding how people make decisions about interactions with others, mimicking evolutionary contexts.

Prisoner’s Dilemma Game

A game that measures trust and assumptions about cooperation, where players must choose between telling the truth or lying.

Trust Game

A game that measures the willingness to invest in others; money sent is tripled, and the receiver can send a portion back.

Dictator Game

A game to measure altruism; one participant distributes money as they wish with no communication or repeated interaction.

Ultimatum Game

Similar to dictator game, but the receiver can veto the distribution, resulting in neither getting anything; measures norms of sharing and punishment for unfairness.

Fiske Relational Models Theory

Four core ways of managing interpersonal interactions: communal sharing, equality matching, market pricing, and authority ranking.

Communal Sharing

Interaction in which needs and costs assigned to people are undifferentiated, distinct individual identities are disregarded and commonalities are emphasized.

Equality Matching

Interaction where there's a tracking of exchange like turn-taking and one person-one vote.

Market Pricing

Interaction in which participants are each measuring and trying to maximize or optimize the value of exchange.

Authority Ranking

Interaction in which the participants are guided by hierarchical ranking to make decisions.

Taxonomy of Groups

A hierarchical system that classifies groups based on duration, permeability, size, and degree of interaction.

Modern Impact on Trust

Experiments show people are more trusting than Rational Choice Theory suggests, showing altruism and desire for fairness at societal level.

Gini Index

An overall measure of income inequality; higher index means more inequality.

Consequences of Economic Inequality

Includes social conflict, impacts on trust and perceptions of fairness, lower economic growth, negative health outcomes, and worse social mobility.

DePaulo Interaction Record Study

Study that found lies were told in about 30% of interactions, commonly about feelings, plans, past, or behavior.

Bond and DePaulo 2006 Meta Analysis

Meta analysis of lie detection attempt between 4435 individuals. Barely 54% accuracy.

Better Than Average Effect

We attend to the evidence that is consistent with the outcome we want/believe. Unconciously exploit others.

Moral Licensing

After behaving morally we 'give ourselves a break' and the likelihood of acting immorally goes up.

Tit for Tat Reciprocity

Evolved purpose to signal to others that we're not people who can be easily exploited. Partners will seek payback.

Catharsis

The belief that aggressing or even just venting will get rid of bad mood and state the desire for revenge.

Carlsmith Mood Expectancy Studies

People expect that retaliating will lead to a better mood; evidence shows it doesn’t.

Cyber-ball Game

Method in the lab (ostracism). Participants played a computer game with 2 other participants.

What is the function of anger?

Mostly a communication and deterrence function rather than actually helpful for successful violence.

Constructive Conflict

Includes productive conversation, mutual learning, joint problem solving.

When to Forgive and Reconcile

Occurs when there is perceived harm and intent, perceived safety, relationship value with close others and those you can't lose.

Four Indicators of Early Divorce

Criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling, contempt

Delhey and Newton’s definition of trust

The belief that others will not deliberately or knowingly do us harm, if they can avoid it, and will look after our interests, if possible

Oishi- Income equality lowers happiness

Reduction in trust and perceived fairness leads to lower generalized trust and therefore lower happiness

Neville Academic Dishonesty study

States that had higher levels of income inequality: lowered generalized trust which led to more frequent google searches related to academic dishonesty

Schopler’s Group Prisoner’s Dilemma Game Study

In intergroup situations, behavior shifts to be competitive. Just shifting the game so that it’s played between two groups rather than 2 individuals changes behavior

Realistic conflict theory

Group conflicts arise when groups are in competition for scarce resources

Social Identity Theory

Our self-concept is tightly linked to our group identities: who am i? We understand ourselves and the world through the lens of our group identities.

Ingroup bias

The tendency to treat members of our “ingroups” better than members of outgroups.

UCLA intergroup attitudes study

Intergroup friendships formation strongly linked to positive changes in inter-racial attitudes.

How to improve intergroup relations and create positive societal change

Education strategies, community based strategies, government/ societal reparations, non-violent social movements for change.

Truth and Reconciliation Commissions

Focus on learning what really happened and to facilitate formation of a new civil society. Perpetrators given immunity if they come forward.

Examples of positive responses to societal challenges

History of progress, 1918-19 flu pandemic (govt supported health care), The Great Depression (social security/retirement systems), World War II (creation of united nations/treaties)

Two major concerns about the future of the United States

Economic and Political challenges rooted in inequality (decline in trust), Environmental degradation (climate change)