Welcome to our Journal of the Month news release series, where we highlight some of the work that is taking place within the psychology division. This month, we are featuring a journal from Eamonn Ferguson, titled: ‘Warming Up Cool Cooperators’. Eamonn has put together a few words describing what their research entails.
‘Explaining why someone repeats high-cost cooperation towards non-reciprocating strangers is difficult. Warm-glow offers an explanation. We argue that warm-glow, as a mechanism to sustain long-term cooperation, cools off over time but can be warmed up with a simple intervention message. We tested our predictions in the context of repeat voluntary blood donation (high cost helping of a non-reciprocating stranger) across 6 studies: a field-based experiment (n = 5,821) comparing warm-glow and impure-altruism messages; an implementation study comparing a 3-year pre-implementation period among all first-time donors in Australia (N =270,353) with a 2-year post-implementation period (Ns = 170, 317); and 4 studies (ns = 716, 1124, 932, 1592) exploring mechanisms. We show that there are relatively warm- and cool-cooperators, not cooling-cooperators. Cooperation among cool-cooperators is enhanced by a warm-glow-plus-identity message. Furthermore, the behavioural facilitation of future cooperation, by booking an appointment, is associated with being a warm-cooperator. Societal implications are discussed.’
If this article has caught your interest, you can read it at the following place: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/23483730
Posted on Thursday 31st August 2023