title: Be nice if you have to--the neurobiological roots of strategic fairness.
abstract: Social norms, such as treating others fairly regardless of kin relations, are essential for the functioning of human societies. Their existence may explain why humans, among all species, show unique patterns of prosocial behaviour. The maintenance of social norms often depends on external enforcement, as in the absence of credible sanctioning mechanisms prosocial behaviour deteriorates quickly. This sanction-dependent prosocial behaviour suggests that humans strategically adapt their behaviour and act selfishly if possible but control selfish impulses if necessary. Recent studies point at the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in controlling selfish impulses. We test whether the DLPFC is indeed involved in the control of selfish impulses as well as the strategic acquisition of this control mechanism. Using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, we provide evidence for the causal role of the right DLPFC in strategic fairness. Because the DLPFC is phylogenetically one of the latest developed neocortical regions, this could explain why complex norm systems exist in humans but not in other social animals.
authors.affiliation: Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Economics (AE1), School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 81679 München, Germany, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 53113 Bonn, Germany and Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany strang@uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strang
authors.affiliation: Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Economics (AE1), School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 81679 München, Germany, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 53113 Bonn, Germany and Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Economics (AE1), School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 81679 München, Germany, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 53113 Bonn, Germany and Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Economics (AE1), School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 81679 München, Germany, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 53113 Bonn, Germany and Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schuhmann
authors.affiliation: Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Economics (AE1), School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 81679 München, Germany, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 53113 Bonn, Germany and Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Economics (AE1), School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 81679 München, Germany, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 53113 Bonn, Germany and Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Economics (AE1), School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 81679 München, Germany, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 53113 Bonn, Germany and Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riedl
authors.affiliation: Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Economics (AE1), School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 81679 München, Germany, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 53113 Bonn, Germany and Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Economics (AE1), School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 81679 München, Germany, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 53113 Bonn, Germany and Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Department of Economics (AE1), School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Center for Economic Studies (CESifo), 81679 München, Germany, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 53113 Bonn, Germany and Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Sack
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D066262:Social Norms; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: decision-making; prosocial behaviour; social norms; strategic fairness