Indian caste names and cooperation in the Prisoner’s Dilemma

Shambhavi Tiwari*, Karolina Aleksandra Ścigała, Christoph Schild, Ingo Zettler

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaperJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Ingroup/outgroup categorisation is a repeatedly found phenomenon. Given the long-standing caste system, the Indian societal structure provides a unique perspective on such social categorisation. The Indian caste system contains hereditarily inherited identity roles defining profession and status-based hierarchies. In this preregistered experiment, we investigate the influence of caste-based identity on cooperation using a (hypothetical) Prisoner’s Dilemma. Specifically, Indian participants (N = 685) were paired with a (hypothetical) other in a Prisoner’s Dilemma, whose last name reflected either a general caste (i.e., a “high” caste) or a backward (“lower”) caste including the scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, and other backward classes. Because participants indicated belonging to a general or a backward caste themselves, they thus played the (hypothetical) Prisoner’s Dilemma with either a member of the same or a different caste group. We did not find that the partner’s caste group membership in terms of stemming from an ingroup (same caste) or outgroup (different caste) influenced participants’ cooperation. Further, we found participants from the general caste to be more cooperative when paired with (hypothetical) backward caste others (outgroup), compared to backward caste participants when paired with (hypothetical) general caste participants (outgroup); however, this difference disappeared once controlling for other demographic characteristics.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAsian Journal of Social Psychology
Volume25
Issue3
Pages (from-to)489-503
Number of pages15
ISSN1367-2223
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2022

Keywords

  • (hypothetical) Prisoner’s Dilemma
  • caste
  • cooperation
  • ingroup
  • outgroup
  • Social Dominance Orientation

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Indian caste names and cooperation in the Prisoner’s Dilemma'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this