糖心TV

Eugenio Proto (Department of Economics)

Cooperation and Personality

Cooperating and trusting behavior may be explained with preferences over social outcomes (people care about others, are unselfsh and helpful), or attitudes to work and social responsibilities (plans have to be carried out, norms have to be followed). If the first hypothesis is true, Agreeableness, reporting stated empathy for others, should matter most; if the second, higher score in traits expressing attitude to work and intrinsic motivation (Conscientiousness) should be a successful predictor. We find experimental support for the second hypothesis when subjects provide real mental effort in two treatments with identical task, differing by whether others' payment is affected.