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Cooperation Induces an Increase in Emotional Response, as Measured by Electrodermal Activity and Mood

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Abstract

Humans need social interaction with others for survival. Competition and cooperation are two somewhat opposed interpersonal strategies that help us to achieve both individual and shared aims and objectives. The aim of this research was to study whether autonomic activity is a good indicator of emotional activation in response to social interaction (cooperation, competition) or working alone, considering gender and outcome obtained in tasks (positive or negative) as moderating variables. We tested electrodermal activity (EDA) and mood before, during and after social (cooperation, competition) or working alone in men (64) and women (60), young-adult students from the University of Valencia. Higher EDA was observed in individuals taking part the cooperative than the competitive task. Further, men who competed showed lower SCLs than men who performed the other type of task. In contrast, women who cooperated demonstrated lower NSCRs than women who competed and men who cooperated. Participants with negative outcomes and women were found to have worse mood states. Our results may be generalizable to situations in which negotiation, mediation and cooperative strategies are relevant for decision making and/or problem solving.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financed by the Committee for Business, Research, and Science of the Regional Government of Valencia (GVPRE/2008/260). This research is part of the doctoral dissertation project of the first author, financed by the University of Valencia (‘Atracció de Talents’ VLC-CAMPUS 2013). Authors also wish to thank ‘INC Servicios Lingüísticos’ for the revision of the English text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Avenida Blasco Ibañez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain

    Patricia Sariñana-González, Ángel Romero-Martínez & Luis Moya-Albiol

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  1. Patricia Sariñana-González
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  2. Ángel Romero-Martínez
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  3. Luis Moya-Albiol
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Correspondence to Luis Moya-Albiol.

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Sariñana-González, P., Romero-Martínez, Á. & Moya-Albiol, L. Cooperation Induces an Increase in Emotional Response, as Measured by Electrodermal Activity and Mood. Curr Psychol 36, 366–375 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-016-9426-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-016-9426-2

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