Verbal interaction in a social dilemma

Zoë Adams, Agata Ludwiczak, Devyani Sharma and Magda Osman
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Zoë Adams: Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK
Agata Ludwiczak: Psychology and Counselling, School of Human Sciences, University of Greenwich, Old Royal Naval College, London, UK
Devyani Sharma: Linguistics, School of Language Linguistics and Film, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK
Magda Osman: Centre for Science and Policy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Rationality and Society, 2022, vol. 34, issue 3, 334-367

Abstract: This study presents the first sociolinguistic examination of communication in a social dilemma. 90 participants (18 groups of 5) completed a modified public goods game with 2 rounds: an effort-based task and an unscripted online chat about the results. A linear regression shows that consensus-building language in the Round 1 chat affects cooperative behaviour in the Round 2 task. A qualitative analysis of 3 groups explores how participants use different recognisable styles of communication (registers) to strategically align with or disalign from one another (stancetaking). Each analysis is complemented with a quantitative visualisation of how (dis)alignment between participants unfolds in real-time. We found that successful groups employ registers associated with collective action, such as gameshow talk (‘ouch. £69 out of a possible £120’) to encourage, punish, and pledge allegiance to one another. Less successful groups use registers that risk evoking mistrust and reducing obligation, such as business talk (‘I approve’). We argue that a mixed methods approach to interaction and behaviour can reveal incremental shifts in consensus building that underpin quantitative outcomes.

Keywords: social dilemma; cooperation; verbal interaction; consensus; register; stancetaking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:ratsoc:v:34:y:2022:i:3:p:334-367

DOI: 10.1177/10434631221094555

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