Free mobility across group boundaries promotes intergroup cooperation.

ABSTRACT: Group cooperation is a cornerstone of human society, enabling achievements that surpass individual capabilities. However, groups also define and restrict who benefits from cooperative actions and who does not, raising the question of how to foster cooperation across group boundaries. This study investigates the impact of voluntary mobility across group boundaries on intergroup cooperation. Participants, organized into two groups, decided whether to create benefits for themselves, group members, or everyone. In each round, they were paired with another participant and could reward the other's actions during an 'enforcement stage', allowing for indirect reciprocity. In line with our preregistered hypothesis, when participants interacted only with in-group members, indirect reciprocity enforc

SUBMITTER: Gross J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11762412 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature