Abstract
On the basis of goal/expectation theory, it was predicted that just as in interpersonal relationships, cooperation in social dilemma groups would increase only if both trust was high and group members had a common goal of cooperation. Introducing new measures of both these two processes to the social dilemma arena, the goal of mutual cooperation was assessed by the process of self—other merging (the IOS scale), and trust by assessing the extent to which one trusted others and one believed one was perceived as trustworthy by the others. The results showed that when both self—other merging and trust was high, cooperation was indeed highest. Implications for the specific functions of trust and self—other merging in social dilemmas are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
FERENCES
Aiken, L. S., and West, S. G. (1991). Multiple Regression: Testing and Interpreting Interactions, Sage, New York.
Aron, A., and Aron, N. E. (1986). Love as the Expansion of Self: Understanding Attraction and Satisfaction, Hemisphere, New York.
Aron, A., Aron, E. N., and Smollan, D. (1992). Inclusion of other in the self scale and the structure of interpersonal closeness. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 63: 596-612.
Aron, A., Aron, E. N., Tudor, M., and Nelson, G. (1991). Close relationships as including other in the self. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 60: 241-253.
Aron, A., and McLaughin-Volpe, T. (2001). Including others in the self: Extensions to own and partner's group memberships. In: Sedikides, C., and Brewer, M. B. (eds.), Individual Self, Relational Self, Collective Self, Psychology Press, Hove, England, pp. 89-108.
Brann, P., and Foddy, M. (1987). Trust and the consumption of a deteriorating common resource. J. Conflict Resolut. 31: 615-630.
Brewer, M. B. (1991). The social self: On being the same and different at the same time. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 17: 475-482.
Couch, L. L., and Jones, W. H. (1997). Measuring levels of trust. J. Res. Pers. 31: 319-336.
Dawes, R. M. (1980). Social dilemmas. Annu. Rev. Psychol. 31: 169-193.
De Cremer, D., and Van Dijk, E. (2002). Reactions to group success and failure as a function of group identification: A test of the goal-transformation hypothesis in social dilemmas. J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 38: 435-442.
De Cremer, D., van Knippenberg, D., Van Dijk, E., and van Leeuwen, E. (2002). Cooperating if One's Goals are Collective-Based: Social Identification Effects in Social Dilemmas as a Function of Goal-Transformation. Manuscript submitted for publication.
De Cremer, D., and Van Vugt, M. (1998). Collective identity and cooperation in public goods dilemmas: A matter of trust or self-efficacy. Curr. Res. Soc. Psychol. 3: 1-11.
De Cremer, D., and Van Vugt, M. (1999). Social identification effects in social dilemmas: A transformation of motives. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 29: 871-893.
Dirks, K. T. (1999). The effects of interpersonal trust on work group performance. J. Appl. Psychol. 84: 445-455.
Dirks, K. T. (2000). Trust in leadership and team performance: Evidence from NCAA basketball. J. Appl. Psychol. 85: 1004-1012.
Gambetta, D. (1988). Can we trust trust? In: Gambetta, D. (ed.), Trust: Making and Breaking Cooperative Relations, Basil Blackwell, Oxford, UK, pp. 213-237.
Granovetter, M. (1992). Problems of explanation in economic society. In: Nohria, N., and Eccles, R. G. (ed.), Network and Organizations, Harvard Business Press, Boston, pp. 22-55.
Jones, G. R., and George, J. M. (1998). The experience and evolution of trust: Implications for cooperation and teamwork. Acad. Manage. Rev. 23: 531-546.
Kerr, N. (1992). Efficacy as a causal and moderating variable in social dilemmas. In: Liebrand, W. B. G., Messick, D. M., and Wilke, H. A. M. (eds.), Social Dilemmas: Theoretical Issues and Research, Pergamon Press, Elmsford, NY, pp. 59-80.
Komorita, S. S., and Parks, C. D. (1994). Social Dilemmas, Brown & Benchmark, Dubuque, IA.
Kramer, R. M. (1999). Trust and distrust in organizations: Emerging perspectives, enduring questions. Annu. Rev. Psychol. 50: 569-598.
Kramer, R. M., and Brewer, M. B. (1984). Effects of group identity on resource use in a simulated commons dilemma. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 46: 1044-1057.
Kramer, R. M., Brewer, M. B., and Hanna, B. A. (1996). Collective trust and collective action: The decision to trust as a social decision. In: Kramer, R. M., and Tyler, T. R. (eds.), Trust in Organizations: Frontiers of Theory and Research, Sage, Thousands Oaks, pp. 357-389.
Kramer, R. M., and Goldman, L. (1995). Helping the group or helping yourself? Social motives and group identity in resource dilemmas. In: Schroeder, D. A. (ed.), Social Dilemmas: Perspectives on Individuals and Groups, Praeger, Westport, CT, pp. 49-68.
Mayer, R. C., Davis, J. H., and Schoorman, F. D. (1995). An integrative model of organizational trust. Acad. Manage. Rev. 20: 709-734.
McAllister, D. J. (1995). Affect-and cognition-based trust as foundations for interpersonal cooperation in organizations. Acad. Manage. J. 38: 24-59.
Olson, M. (1965). The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Parks, C. D. (1994). The predictive ability of social values in resource dilemmas and public goods games. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 20: 431-438.
Parks, C. D., and Hulbert, L. G. (1995). High and low trusters' responses to fear in a payoff matrix. J. Conflict Resolut. 39: 718-730.
Platt, J. (1973). Social traps. Am. Psychol. 28: 641-651.
Pruitt, D. G., and Kimmel, M. (1977). Twenty years of experimental gaming: Critique, synthesis, and suggestions for the future. Annu. Rev. Psychol. 28: 363-392.
Ring, P. S., and van de Ven, A. H. (1994). Development processes of cooperative interorganizational relationships. Acad. Manage. Rev. 19: 90-118.
Rutte, C., and Wilke, H. A. M. (1992). Goals, expectations and behavior in a social dilemma situation. In: Liebrand, W. B. G., Messick, D. M., and Wilke, H. A. M. (eds.), Social Dilemmas: Theoretical Issues and Research, Pergamon Press, Elmsford, NY, pp. 289-305.
Schelling, T. C. (1960). The Strategy of Conflict, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Smith, E., Coats, S., and Walling, D. (1999). Overlapping mental representations of self, in-group, and partner: Further response time evidence and a connectionist model. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 25: 873-882.
Yamagishi, T. (1986). The provision of a sanctioning system as public good. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 51: 110-116.
Yamagishi, T., and Sato, K. (1986). Motivational bases of the public goods problem. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 50: 67-73.
Wilke, H. A. M., and Braspenning, J. (1989). Reciprocity: Choice shift in a social trap. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 19: 317-326.
Wit, A. P., and Kerr, N. L. (2002). Me versus just us versus us all: Categorization and cooperation in nested social dilemmas. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 83: 616-637.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
De Cremer, D., Stouten, J. When Do People Find Cooperation Most Justified? The Effect of Trust and Self–Other Merging in Social Dilemmas. Social Justice Research 16, 41–52 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022974027023
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022974027023