Abstract
BackgroundCooperation and competition were compared in the present study. Brain correlates (electroencephalography, EEG frequency band, delta, theta, alpha, and beta) and hemodynamic measure of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS, O2Hb) were acquired during a joined cooperative (Experiment 1) or competitive (Experiment 2) task. Subjects were required to match each other’s cognitive performance (cooperation) or to make better than others (competition) in terms of accuracy (error rate, ER) and response time (RT). In addition, a personality trait measure (behavioral activation system, BAS) was used to distinguish subjects based on their rewarding attitude. Self-perception of social ranking and real performance were considered in response to subjects’ performance (that was artificially manipulated to show an increasing or decreasing profile during the task).ResultsAn increased left prefrontal cortical (PFC) responsiveness was found for subjects who had higher BAS rating in case of both cooperation and competition conditions. Moreover, subjects with higher BAS ratings showed greater frontal left activity during the cooperative task. These subjects also concomitantly perceived an increasing in social ranking and improved their performance.ConclusionsPresent results demonstrated that some trait components (BAS) and cooperative condition induce a positive self-representation in term of ranking and a best way to perform the task, as underlined by self-perception and cognitive outcomes. Indeed the higher BAS trait proved to be related with the representation of higher social ranking and with the perception of improved cognitive outcomes, with also a significant increased left PFC activity in cooperative contexts.
Highlights
Cooperation and competition were compared in the present study
Four different levels of analyses were applied by considering to behavioral and neurophysiological
The significant post hoc effects, that we reported, showed increased left theta activity for high-behavioral activation system (BAS) compared to low-BAS rating (F [1, 21] = 6.78, p ≤ .001, η2 = .33), whereas no significant differences were found within the right hemisphere based on high-low-BAS (F [1, 21] = 2.01, p = .23, η2 = .11)
Summary
Cooperation and competition were compared in the present study. Brain correlates (electroencephalography, EEG frequency band, delta, theta, alpha, and beta) and hemodynamic measure of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS, O2Hb) were acquired during a joined cooperative (Experiment 1) or competitive (Experiment 2) task. The perception we built about ourselves is the result of a social analysis on our ranking within a specific situation in which we receive a feedback How does this process take place in different interpersonal situations such as cooperation and competition?. Findings demonstrated that competition is able to improve individual performances and, contemporarily, to contribute to higher perceptions of the social ranking position based on the behavioral performance [2,3,4]. It may implicate a lower sense of in-group partnership and it may make the perception of social membership weaker [5]. Cooperative attitudes could be associated with worse performance than competitive ones [2]
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