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Higher Intelligence Groups Have Higher Cooperation Rates in the Repeated Prisoner's Dilemma

Author

Listed:
  • Proto, Eugenio

    (Department of Economics, University of Warwick)

  • Rustichini, Aldo

    (Department of Economics, University of Minnesota)

  • Sofianos, Andis

    (Department of Economics, University of Warwick)

Abstract

Intelligence affects the social outcomes of groups. A systematic study of the link is provided in an experiment where two groups of subjects with different levels of intelligence, but otherwise similar, play a repeated prisoner's dilemma. Initial cooperation rates are similar, but increase in the groups with higher intelligence to reach almost full cooperation, while they decline in the groups with lower intelligence. Cooperation of higher intelligence subjects is payo sensitive and not automatic: in a treatment with lower continuation probability there is no difference between different intelligence groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Proto, Eugenio & Rustichini, Aldo & Sofianos, Andis, 2015. "Higher Intelligence Groups Have Higher Cooperation Rates in the Repeated Prisoner's Dilemma," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1101, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:wrk:warwec:1101
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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Cooperative smarts
      by Eric Crampton in Offsetting Behaviour on 2015-11-02 14:21:00
    2. Where do pro-social institutions come from?
      by pseudoerasmus in Pseudoerasmus on 2015-10-04 05:01:30

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Repeated Prisoner's Dilemma ; Cooperation ; Intelligence;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior

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