Cooperation and strategy during social dilemmas: An EEG Hyperscan Investigation
Class
Article
Department
Psychology
Faculty Mentor
Kerry Jordan
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Social interactions presented by game theory allow researchers to investigate brain areas involved in cooperation and competition. The Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) and Snowdrift (SD) are social dilemma games in which there are two players: each may choose to cooperate or defect. Defecting results in the maximum payoff, but if both players defect, they will receive fewer points than if they had both cooperated. Previous research has shown greater beta (12 - 24 Hz) activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) when participants defect. There is a greater general amount of activation related to defection. The DLPFC is associated with planning behaviors and may be involved in risk evaluation. Beta has been well-discussed, but alpha (8 - 12 Hz) has not been reported in terms of either cooperation or defection. Alpha is related to possible idling or neural efficiency mechanisms. We found that Snowdrift and Prisoner's Dilemma produced similar activation via EEG, in that cooperation showed a decreased alpha desynchronization compared with defection. This may indicate mechanisms driving cooperation could have a basis in the neural efficiency hypothesis.
Start Date
4-9-2015 10:30 AM
Cooperation and strategy during social dilemmas: An EEG Hyperscan Investigation
Social interactions presented by game theory allow researchers to investigate brain areas involved in cooperation and competition. The Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) and Snowdrift (SD) are social dilemma games in which there are two players: each may choose to cooperate or defect. Defecting results in the maximum payoff, but if both players defect, they will receive fewer points than if they had both cooperated. Previous research has shown greater beta (12 - 24 Hz) activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) when participants defect. There is a greater general amount of activation related to defection. The DLPFC is associated with planning behaviors and may be involved in risk evaluation. Beta has been well-discussed, but alpha (8 - 12 Hz) has not been reported in terms of either cooperation or defection. Alpha is related to possible idling or neural efficiency mechanisms. We found that Snowdrift and Prisoner's Dilemma produced similar activation via EEG, in that cooperation showed a decreased alpha desynchronization compared with defection. This may indicate mechanisms driving cooperation could have a basis in the neural efficiency hypothesis.