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Praise and cooperation: Investigating the effects of praise content and agency

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  • Lv, Jieyu
  • Zhang, Hongchuan
  • Yu, Yonghong
  • Xue, Zhiyang
  • Cai, Yulin
  • Luo, Zixi

Abstract

How group members’ perceptions of each other’s actions influence cooperative behaviour over time remains uncertain. This study explored the effects of praise (praise content and agency) on cooperation in a two-player public goods game through one pilot experiment and three experiments. The results indicated that both process-focused and person-focused praise enhanced cooperative behaviours. Notably, participants exhibited higher levels of cooperation under process-focused praise compared to person-focused praise. Additionally, the act of expressing praise led to more cooperative behaviour than merely receiving praise or no praise at all. Overall, these findings underscore the efficacy of process-focused praise in promoting cooperation, with the expression of praise proving more effective than its reception. These insights suggest practical applications in organizational and educational settings, where implementing strategies that emphasize process-focused praise and encourage the active expression of appreciation could significantly enhance cooperative dynamics and team performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Lv, Jieyu & Zhang, Hongchuan & Yu, Yonghong & Xue, Zhiyang & Cai, Yulin & Luo, Zixi, 2025. "Praise and cooperation: Investigating the effects of praise content and agency," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:115:y:2025:i:c:s2214804325000151
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2025.102348
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    References listed on IDEAS

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