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Theory of Mind Predicts Cooperative Behavior

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  • Gregory DeAngelo

    (West Virginia University, Department of Economics)

  • Bryan McCannon

    (West Virginia University, Department of Economics)

Abstract

Explanations for cooperation in Prisoner’s Dilemma games (PD) have generated significant interest. While institutional explanations, such as the role of repeated interactions and communication, have offered considerable explanatory ability, a psychological measure of Theory of the Mind (ToM) – Reading the Mind in the Eyes – of an individual’s ability to process social and emotional cognition offers new insights. Using this measure, we examine how ToM explains (un)cooperative behavior in a standard PD game. We find that subjects who have higher ToM are less cooperative in PD games and extract higher payoffs.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory DeAngelo & Bryan McCannon, 2016. "Theory of Mind Predicts Cooperative Behavior," Working Papers 16-16, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    • Handle: RePEc:wvu:wpaper:16-16
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    File URL: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1197&context=econ_working-papers
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    Cited by:

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    2. Vassallo, Jarrod P. & Banerjee, Sourindra & Zaman, Hasanuzzaman & Prabhu, Jaideep C., 2023. "Design thinking and public sector innovation: The divergent effects of risk-taking, cognitive empathy and emotional empathy on individual performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    3. Zhang, Hong, 2023. "Evolution of cooperation with tag-based expulsion in spatial public goods game," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).

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