Cooperation among Negro and White Boys and Girls

Abstract

A recent study of ethnic and sex differences in cooperation in a two-person game indicated that Negro dyads were more cooperative than white dyads (1) . The present study extends the generality of the findings. The two social arrangements were integrated, ethnically mixed dyads and ethnically homogeneous, segregated dyads. Fifry lower class Negro boys and girls and 50 middle class white boys and girls participating in a summer day camp program, were Ss. They ranged in age from 6 to 12 yr. Each S played two games which were conducted in a group setting on the camp playground. In each game S was paired with a different parner of the same sex. Back to back pair members were given a copy of the following payoff matrix representing pieces of candy: blue-blue: 4, 4; blue-red: 1, 6; red-blue: 6, 1; red-red: 2, 2. Ss made a choice by holding up either a red or a blue poker chip on each of 1 0 trials, the payoffs being dispensed after each trial. The amount of cooperation (blue choice) for each S for 10 trials Game 1 with ethnically homogeneous dyads was cast into a 2 x 2 factorial (ethnic groups and sex) and subjected to analysis of variance. Negro boys were significantly Lower in cooperation ( M = 2.75) than Negro girls ( M = 4.60). The white boys ( M = 3.50) did not differ from white girls ( M = 3.70). Both white groups were intermediate between the Negro boys and girls. Comparisons of the ethnically homogeneous and mixed dyads (Games 1 and 2, respectively) were made separately for boys and girls. Analysis of variance (14 white girls and 14 Negro girls) indicated that the level of cooperarion decreased from Game 1 to Game 2. Increased competition in Game 2 may be a function of increased number of trials, ethnic interaction, or order of games. Similar results were obtained for a subsample of 8 Negro boys and 8 white boys. Limitations in time and availability of Ss prevented more complete evaluation of effects of order, race and sex as variables. Another group of 20 white boys, however, permitted examination of the effecn of ethnic interaction on the level of cooperation among white boys. In Game 2 half of this sample participated in an ethnically mixed dyad, while the other half continued playing in a homogeneous dyad. There were significant decreases in cooperation over two games regardless of whether these white boys interacted with other whites or with Negro boys. Further study is required to ascertain whether Negro children would show the same partern of increased competirion. Product-moment correlations between age and amount of cooperarion within the ethnic-sex groups (range: .28 to .07 ) were non-significant. These data are congruent with those of Yarrow, Campbell, and Yarrow ( 2 ) who found that Negro boys were higher in dominance and aggression and Negro girls were higher in affiliation and nurcurance chan white controls. Evidence for the utility of interpersonal games in the analysis of social behavior is clear. REFERENCES 1. SAMPSON, E. E., & KARDUSH, M. Age, sex, class, and race differences in response to a two-person non-zero-sum game. Conflict Resolution, 1965, 9, 212-220. 2. YARROW, M., CAMPBELL, J., & YARROW, L. Interpersonal dynamics in racial inregration. In E. Maccoby, T. Newcomb, & E. Hartley (Eds.), Readings in social psychology. New York: Holt, 1958. Pp. 623-636. Accepted A p ~ i l 8, 1966.