Abstract
Objectives
Leaders in many organizations are older adults who routinely make decisions in social bargaining situations. However, we know little about the age-related differences in strategic decision making.
Methods
In the current study (n = 182), using a modified Prisoner’s Dilemma game (PDG), we examined two important intrinsic motivations for non-cooperation: fear of betrayal and greedy desire to exploit other people among young and older Chinese Singaporeans.
Results
Results showed that compared with young adults, older adults demonstrated an intact greed motive but a diminished fear motive in the PDG.
Discussion
Our findings suggest a diminished sensitivity to social threat or potential losses due to betrayal in older adults’ social decision making. Older adults may have a declined ability to assess social threats even though they retain the motivation to gain an exploitive advantage.
Leaders in many organizations are older adults who routinely make decisions in social bargaining situations. However, we know little about the age-related differences in strategic decision making.
Methods
In the current study (n = 182), using a modified Prisoner’s Dilemma game (PDG), we examined two important intrinsic motivations for non-cooperation: fear of betrayal and greedy desire to exploit other people among young and older Chinese Singaporeans.
Results
Results showed that compared with young adults, older adults demonstrated an intact greed motive but a diminished fear motive in the PDG.
Discussion
Our findings suggest a diminished sensitivity to social threat or potential losses due to betrayal in older adults’ social decision making. Older adults may have a declined ability to assess social threats even though they retain the motivation to gain an exploitive advantage.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1699-1704 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences |
| Volume | 75 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Early online date | 6 Sept 2019 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2020 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
We acknowledge the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE2016-T2-1-015) for financial support.
Keywords
- aging
- cooperation
- fear
- greed