RT Journal Article
T1 On the interplay of hierarchies, conflicts, and cooperation: An experimental approach
A1 Lozano, Pablo
A1 Antonioni, Alberto
A1 Sánchez, Angel
AB Previous research suggests that it is difficult to maintain cooperation in a large society when there is a strong hierarchical structure. In this study, we implement online human experiments to study the effects of exogenous variation in a particular notion of hierarchy on cooperation and conflict within groups. We demonstrate how cooperation can be maintained when collective action is accompanied by dyadic conflicts whose outcome feeds back on the hierarchical rank of the contestants. We find that the majority of individuals take part in conflicts and that highly ranked individuals mostly cooperate and engage in conflicts as a way to punish noncooperators. As a consequence, stable hierarchical groups can arise and maintain high levels of cooperation. Our results are in agreement with the prediction of earlier theoretical models on hierarchical societies and are relevant to understanding the interplay of hierarchy, cooperation, and conflict.
PB Oxford University Press
SN 2752-6542
YR 2023
FD 2023-01
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10016/36706
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10016/36706
LA eng
NO This research has been partially funded by grant PGC2018-098186-B-I00 (BASIC) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ERDF "A way of making Europe". A.A. acknowledges the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under grant no. IJC2019-040967-I.
DS e-Archivo
RD 22 may. 2024