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Many people consider others to be selfish. However, a new international study paints a different picture: worldwide, 69 per cent are willing to give up personal benefits for the common good.
Would you be prepared to give up some of your own money to support the fight against climate change? Many people believe that most people would answer ‘no’ to this question, but they are wrong. Overall, a global pattern emerges: people significantly underestimate how cooperative their fellow human beings actually are. On average, respondents to a new study assume that only 47 per cent of people are willing to cooperate. This pessimistic misperception is universal and is found in 124 out of 125 of the countries surveyed.
human kindness: Two-thirds of people are willing to forgo personal benefits for the common good
The study, published in the scientific journal *Science*, also shows that people are more cooperative than we all believe.
Globally, 69 per cent of people are willing to forgo personal benefits for the common good.
More than 100,000 people in 125 countries were surveyed for the study. It is the first globally representative study on human cooperation.
This is how the experiment worked: $100 for non-cooperation, $70 for cooperation
The study was based on a decision-making experiment conducted in a standardised manner worldwide. Each participant was paired with an unknown counterpart from their own country. In the next step, the participants had to choose between two options: if they chose the ‘do not cooperate’ option, they received 100 US dollars. However, if they chose ‘cooperate’, they received only 70 US dollars. If, however, both participants independently and without prior consultation chose the ‘cooperation’ option, an additional 400 US dollars was donated to the fight against global warming.
This pessimistic misperception was particularly pronounced in Germany. Germans assume that only 47.6 per cent of their fellow citizens would cooperate. This means the study participants underestimate their fellow citizens by almost 40 per cent, as the actual cooperation rate stands at 86 per cent. Many are therefore willing to forego their own benefits for the common good.
Cultural differences, education, the willingness of others: these factors influence behaviour
The study concludes that cooperation is widespread across the globe. Furthermore, the authors found that the willingness to cooperate depends primarily on how cooperative people perceive their fellow human beings to be. Thus, those who believe that others will also cooperate are themselves more likely to contribute to the common good and forego their own advantages. However, personal characteristics also play a role: for instance, people who are more patient and more willing to take risks cooperate more frequently than others.
The researchers did not find any differences in terms of gender or age. However, people with a higher level of education show a greater willingness to cooperate. As the study was conducted in 125 countries, cultural differences are also evident.
The willingness to cooperate varies, in some cases significantly, from country to country and is closely linked to cultural and historical experiences. For example, the expectation that others will cooperate influences the willingness of Finnish participants to cooperate much more strongly than that of Egyptian participants. Research shows that these differences are primarily linked to a country’s history and culture. In concrete terms, this means that a person’s willingness to cooperate is not only linked to personal characteristics but is also shaped by cultural influences.
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