title: Characteristics of affected third parties and cooperative behavior in social dilemmas.
abstract: The studies described in this article explore the influence of an under-emphasized determinant of cooperative behavior in social dilemmas: affected third parties. Two experiments examined the effect of characteristics of third parties on individual cooperative behavior in social dilemmas, and identified mechanisms associated with these relationships. Study 1 demonstrated that third-party need affects individual cooperative behavior, and tested prosocial motivation and intra-group trust as mediators of this relationship. Study 2 provided further elaboration by demonstrating that individual cooperative behavior was reduced when a needy third party was low on reliability, and by showing that prosocial motivation and intra-group trust mediated this relationship. This research connects the literatures on individual cooperation in social dilemmas and relational job design, and demonstrates why third parties influence individuals' cooperative behavior.
authors.affiliation: a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
authors.forename: M Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cardador
authors.affiliation: a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
authors.forename: Gregory B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Northcraft
authors.affiliation: b George Mason University.
authors.forename: Kevin W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Rockmann
authors.affiliation: a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
authors.forename: Brandon C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Grant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cooperation; intra-group trust; prosocial motivation; social dilemmas; third-party beneficiaries