Multiple gossip statements and their effect on reputation and trustworthiness.

ABSTRACT: Empirical and theoretical evidence from various disciplines indicates that reputation, reputation building and trust are important for human cooperation, social behaviour and economic progress. Recently, it has been shown that reputation gained in games of indirect reciprocity can be transmitted by gossip. But it has also been shown that gossiping has a strong manipulative potential. We propose that this manipulative potential is alleviated by the abundance of gossip. Multiple gossip statements give a better picture of the actual behaviour of a person, and thus inaccurate or fake gossip has little power as long as it is in the minority. In addition, we investigate the supposedly strong connection between reciprocity, reputation and trust. The results of this experimental study (with 11 gro

SUBMITTER: Sommerfeld RD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2603203 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature