Resource scarcity and diminishing biodiversity are pressing global issues underscored by phenomena such as Earth Overshoot Day. Understanding human behavior in resource dilemma tasks offers...Show moreResource scarcity and diminishing biodiversity are pressing global issues underscored by phenomena such as Earth Overshoot Day. Understanding human behavior in resource dilemma tasks offers insights into mitigating resource overconsumption. This study tried to identify the impact of average group dominance on group performance in resource dilemmas. Drawing on observed behavior like the tragedy of the commons by Van Lange and colleagues (2013) and theories on social heuristics, we hypothesized that higher group dominance scores would correlate with less cooperative behavior and lower proportion of optimal group resource harvest (POGH). We conducted a computerized resource dilemma task with 63 participants, divided into groups of three, after having assessed their individual dominance score using a modified Dominance-Prestige Scale developed by Cheng et al.. Results indicated a very weak, non-significant negative correlation between group dominance scores and the POGH. Limitations in the methodology of the study are believed to have been the main reason the results were not significant. Further research into the social mechanisms behind the tragedy of the commons is recommended.Show less
Inequality remains a persistent issue affecting minorities across all domains. In the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field, women often encounter barriers due to gender biases...Show moreInequality remains a persistent issue affecting minorities across all domains. In the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field, women often encounter barriers due to gender biases leading to unequal treatment and opportunities for the individual. It was found that perceiving either or both types of inequalities (inequality of outcomes and inequality of opportunities) can impact one’s motivation. This study merges the two into one and therefore investigates the effect of priming for inequality on student’s academic motivation in STEM subjects, aiming to contribute to the broader understanding of gender inequality in STEM and therefore facilitate its reduction. Past research has mostly addressed challenges and barriers women face in STEM, yet gaps persist in understanding how other factors such as academic motivation get impacted by perceiving inequality and how that again influences the woman’s experience in STEM. Results indicate that priming for inequality did not significantly affect academic motivation and that there is no significant difference between males and females, challenging previous findings. Potential explanations include study limitations such as an ineffective priming technique or a non-representative sample. The findings necessitate for future studies to reevaluate existing findings and explore other factors that could influence this relationship. Furthermore, future studies should explore other priming techniques and employ a more specific priming.Show less
How does the medium of communication (face-to-face vs online) impact group negotiations, especially when considering different social motivations (pro-social vs pro-self)? Using the 'Aloha Beach...Show moreHow does the medium of communication (face-to-face vs online) impact group negotiations, especially when considering different social motivations (pro-social vs pro-self)? Using the 'Aloha Beach Club' game as a scenario for three-person negotiations it was predicted that face- to-face negotiations lead to higher joint outcomes for pro-social groups due to the richer communication environment, while online negotiations benefit pro-self groups due to the lack of non-verbal cues. Additionally, it was anticipated that participants in face-to-face negotiations would report higher satisfaction levels upon completing the negotiation task. Results found that pro-social groups outperformed pro-self groups across all conditions. Moreover, face-to-face negotiations generally led to more satisfactory levels across pro-social groups, however these were not uniform across all participants, indicating the complex dynamics at play. This suggests that while the communication medium has an impact, the social motives of the group play a more important role in determining negotiation outcomes and satisfaction levels.Show less
Conspicuous consumption, the act of purchasing goods or services to display wealth, plays a significant role in consumer behavior to enhance perceived social status. While the relationship between...Show moreConspicuous consumption, the act of purchasing goods or services to display wealth, plays a significant role in consumer behavior to enhance perceived social status. While the relationship between income and consumption patterns has been previously explored, the specific effects of inequality of outcomes and inequality of opportunity on conspicuous consumption, particularly among college students, remain underexplored. investigates the impact of priming inequality on conspicuous consumption among American college students and examines how this relationship is moderated by the disposable monthly income (objective income) and perceived socioeconomic status (subjective income) of the students. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three priming conditions: inequality of outcomes, inequality of opportunity, or a control group. They subsequently completed a self-report questionnaire assessing their conspicuous consumption. The study made use of 297 American college students. The findings revealed no significant relationship of priming with either inequality of outcomes or inequality of opportunity compared to the control group on conspicuous consumption. However, a significant main effect was found for disposable monthly income, indicating that low-income students are significantly less likely to engage in conspicuous consumption than middle- and high-income students. No significant effects were found for perceived socioeconomic status or the interaction effects between the conditions and the different income types. These results contribute to understanding the conspicuous consumption tendencies among students, suggesting that priming inequality does not influence these behaviors, while income level does. Future research could further explore the dynamics between socioeconomic status, income, and perceptions of inequality to develop effective policies aimed at reducing student debt and addressing economic disparities.Show less
People’s attractiveness influences the honesty displayed by individuals towards them. This research investigates if this also holds for artificial agents. In the Psychology Lab on Wheels, 23...Show morePeople’s attractiveness influences the honesty displayed by individuals towards them. This research investigates if this also holds for artificial agents. In the Psychology Lab on Wheels, 23 participants played a coin toss game against a human, a robot, and an avatar on a screen, in which they had to make private predictions of the outcomes. This manipulation incentivized participants to lie. Based on the Uncanny Valley theory, it was expected that the human agent would be evaluated as most attractive, followed by the robot, and finally the avatar. Due to previous research, it was expected that participants would be most honest to the agent they rated as most attractive, thus most honest to the human, followed by the robot, and then the avatar. However, results show no difference in how participants rated the attractiveness of the human agent, the robot, and the avatar. Additionally, no discrepancy was found between the honesty of the participants towards the human agent, the avatar, and the robot. The discussion considers some trends in the data. Recommendations for future research are made.Show less
