title: [Internal attribution of outcome moderates the cortisol response to a cooperative task in women].
abstract: Several ethological reports have indicated that cooperative behaviors play an adaptive role. However, research has focused on competition in men, and there have been few studies on cooperation. This study aims to analyze the cortisol and psychological responses in women to a cooperative situation compared with a competitive situation in a laboratory context. The sample was distributed into four groups depending on the task and the outcome obtained: Positive cooperation, negative cooperation, competition with victory, and competition with defeat. Our results show that, in comparison with competition, cooperation produces different effects in cortisol, but not in psychological states. Nevertheless, these effects occur only when the task outcome and its appraisal are considered. Only the participants who cooperated and obtained a positive outcome and those who competed and lost showed significant decrements of cortisol. Internal attribution was higher in groups with more stable cortisol levels, suggesting a possible modulator effect of controllability in the way the situation was experienced. These results could be generalized to situations in which negotiation, mediation, and cooperative strategies are relevant for making decisions and/or solving problems.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Andrés García
authors.forename: Esperanza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: González-Bono
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sariñana-González
authors.forename: María Victoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Sanchos-Calatayud
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romero-Martínez
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moya Albiol
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000786:Anger / Q000502:physiology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology; D001240:Aspirations, Psychological; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004645:Empathy / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone