NCJ Number
49089
Journal
Journal of Social Psychology Volume: 81 Issue: 2 Dated: (1970) Pages: 275-276
Date Published
1970
Length
2 pages
Annotation
A STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF RACE AND STRATEGY (COOPERATIVE/COMPETITIVE) ON THE BEHAVIOR OF WHITE STUDENTS IN A PRISONER'S DILEMMA (PD) SITUATION.
Abstract
IN THE PD SITUATION, A PERSON INCREASES HIS OUTCOME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OTHER PERSON BY MAKING A COMPETITIVE CHOICE; A COOPERATIVE CHOICE REVERSES THE CONSEQUENSES. SUBJECTS WERE 60 WHITE STUDENTS WHO PERFORMED 60 PD TRIALS WITH EITHER A BLACK OR A WHITE MALE CONFEDERATE. CONFEDERATES FOLLOWED EACH OF TWO STRATEGIES: 60 TRIALS WITH 90 PERCENT COOPERATIVE CHOICES AND 20 TRIALS OF 90 PERCENT COMPETITIVE CHOICES FOLLOWED BY 40 TRIALS OF 90 PERCENT COOPERATIVE CHOICES. THE SAME MALE/FEMALE SUBJECT RATIO WAS USED IN EACH OF THE FOUR TEST CONDITIONS (E.G., BLACK COOPERATIVE OR COMPETITIVE AND WHITE COOPERATIVE OR COMPETITIVE CONFEDERATE). SUBJECTS AND CONFEDERATES WERE INSTRUCTED NOT TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER, TO KEEP A TALLY OF THEIR OUTCOMES, AND THAT TOTAL OUTCOME OVER TRIALS WOULD PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR EACH PERSON'S MONETARY EARNINGS. THE ANALYSIS SHOWED NO SIGNIFICANT MAIN OR INTERACTION EFFECTS. AN ANALYSIS TO INVESTIGATE BEHAVIOR CHANGE OVER TRIALS TOWARD THE END OF THE SESSION ALSO FAILED TO YIELD SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS. HOWEVER, WHITE SUBJECTS SHOWED SIGNIFICANTLY LESS COOPERATION TOWARD BLACKS THEN TOWARD BLACKS WHO WERE COOPERATIVE AFTER BEING INITIALLY COMPETITIVE. THIS SUGGESTS THAT BLACKS WILL BE TREATED MORE TO THEIR ADVANTAGE IF THEY ASSERT THEMSELVES TOWARD, RATHER THAN SIMPLY COOPERATE WITH, WHITES. A TENDENCY WAS ALSO FOUND FOR WHITES TO BEHAVE MORE COOPERATIVELY TOWARD WHITE COOPERATIVE CONFEDERATES THAN TOWARD BLACK COOPERATIVE CONFEDERATES. (JAP)