Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
1-2010
Abstract
Among the most researched solutions to social dilemmas is communication. Since the late 1950s, it has been well known that communication enhances cooperation in social dilemmas. This article reports a meta-analysis of this literature (forty-five effect sizes) and finds a large positive effect of communication on cooperation in social dilemmas (d = 1.01). This effect is moderated by the type of communication, with a stronger effect of face-to-face discussion ( d = 1.21) compared to written messages (d = 0.46). The communication-cooperation relationship is also stronger in larger, compared to smaller, group social dilemmas. Whether communication occurred before or during iterated dilemmas did not statistically affect the communication-cooperation effect size. Results are discussed according to theory and research on communication in social dilemmas.
Keywords
social dilemmas, communication, cooperation, conflict, meta-analysis
Discipline
Social Psychology and Interaction
Research Areas
Psychology
Publication
Journal of Conflict Resolution
Volume
54
Issue
1
First Page
39
Last Page
57
ISSN
0022-0027
Identifier
10.1177/0022002709352443
Publisher
SAGE
Citation
BALLIET, Daniel.(2010). Communication and Cooperation in Social Dilemmas: A Meta-Analytic Review. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 54(1), 39-57.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/752
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1177/0022002709352443