Individual-Group Continuity In Cooperation And Competition Under Varying Communication Conditions

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. They repeatedly observed that in the context of matrix games, such as the Prisoner’s Dilemma Game (PDG) or variations thereof, intergroup behavior is less cooperative and more competitive than interindividual behavior (for reviews e.g. Drigotas, Insko, and Schopler 1998; Insko et al. 1992; Rabbie 1998; Schopler and Insko 1992; Wildschut and Insko, in press). In all these studies there was a moderate degree of non-correspondence between own and other party's interests.
In many of the discontinuity studies individuals and groups (or their representatives) were instructed to communicate with each other on each trial of a ten-trial PDG. During these face-to-face communication sessions both parties could suggest non-binding ways to coordinate their choices. In line with the earlier PDG findings of Wichman (1972) these repeated communications often resulted in over 90 per cent cooperation for individuals. Importantly however, for groups these repeated communications were considerably less effective in inducing cooperation. For instance, the effects of communication on individual-group discontinuity were examined in a study by Insko et al. (1993), using a single trial play with a so-called PDG-Alt matrix1. Communication in this experiment did not involve face-to face interactions, but the use of an intercom system. A number of reliable main and interaction effects for communication versus no communication and individuals versus groups on the propo!
rtion of cooperative, competitive, and ‘withdrawal’ choices were obtained. Communication increased cooperation between individuals, but not between groups. The no communication condition, compared to the communication condition, produced an increase in withdrawal choices for individuals but not for groups. As predicted, groups were more competitive than individuals and this main effect was not moderated by communication opportunity.
We are, however, doubtful whether results obtained withi...