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On the role of vocal emotions in social decision-making

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Abstract

Emotional expressions constitute valuable information for decision-making in social interaction contexts. However, the range of emotions that have been studied is limited. The present study addresses the effects of a wider range of emotional expressions using a methodology modeling interdependent decision-making in social contexts, the Assurance Dilemma. Joy, sadness, anger, fear, disgust and emotionally neutral vocal expressions were presented to 46 participants taking part in the Assurance Dilemma, obtaining behavioral and judgment data on cooperation behavior. For each emotion, predictions based on theoretical accounts and research on emotion induction in decision-making contexts were advanced; joy, sadness and fear were predicted to increase cooperation while anger and disgust to decrease it, as compared to neutral expressions. Results show that emotional expressions reliably affected cooperation, although not always according to the predictions: except for joy, all emotions decreased cooperation. Judgment measures provide further insight into the decision-making process. When collected before participants experienced feedback in the interactions, judgment measures show that participants hold a priori expectations on others’ likely behaviors depending on the emotional expression they display and are willing to use them to guide their decision-making process. This data aligns more closely with predictions. However, after experiencing outcomes, expectations are revised and converge with the behavioral patterns observed in the actual interactions. Results are discussed in terms of how emotional expressions are used for guiding expectations and taking decisions in social interaction contexts and the role that experience plays in this process. Limitations are pointed out directions for future research suggested.

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Notes

  1. Also known as Stag Hunt dilemma (c.f. Skyrms 2003)

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Acknowledgments

The experiment described in this paper is part of the first author’s doctoral dissertation under the supervision of the second author. The authors acknowledge the support received through a Ph.D. Scholarship (CONACYT, # 280423) awarded to Jonathan Caballero and the UNAM-DGAPA PAPIIT RN305412 grant awarded to Marina Menez Díaz. The authors want to thank Dr. Marc D. Pell for useful comments on a previous version of this article and Alexandra Topilova for support with English revision.

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  1. Jonathan A. Caballero

    Present address: Neuropragmatics and Emotion Lab, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, 2001 McGill College, 8th floor, Montreal, H3A 1G1, QC, Canada

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  1. Facultad de Psicología, Cubículo 124, Edificio D., Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 3004, Copilco Universidad, 04510, Coyoacán CDMX, Mexico

    Jonathan A. Caballero & Marina Menez Díaz

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Caballero, J.A., Menez Díaz, M. On the role of vocal emotions in social decision-making. Curr Psychol 40, 6014–6028 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00509-1

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