How does external appeal affect team relationships?

According to the results of the study,published in The Economic Journal, appearances greatly affect the relationship between women and the relationship between women and men. But the relationship between men has no effect. According to the researchers, they obtained the first evidence that the lack of mutual sympathy impedes cooperation, especially in groups that consist of women and women and men. Scientists believe that mutual sympathy between women plays a big role not only in joint interactions, but also in their decisions.

If women do not feel joint sympathy, relationships in the team can be heated

A series of interesting experiments

Lead author of the study, Doctor of EconomicsLeoni Gerhards of the Department of Economics at the University of Hamburg, Germany, and his colleague Michael Cosfeld, conducted a series of interesting experiments in which subjects evaluated each other from photographs. The participants were divided into pairs, but even before that they saw a photo of their partner and knew how he rated them. Then the couples played games in which the cash reward depended on the degree of cooperation. If both partners played well during the game, the result was beneficial to both sides. And if the participants contributed different amounts, the more generous player was in a worse position.

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In the first game, both players were allocated sixEuro on joint investment. The donated amount was increased by 150% and equally divided between the two players. The idea was that the more money in the bank, the better for each player. However, one who did not enter into cooperation with another player could keep himself the full amount or most of the money, while taking significant amounts from another player.

A variety of factors influence team relationships.

The goal of the second game was similar. To maximize the amount paid to each test subject, participants must collaborate and donate as much money as possible. However, if one player donated more than his partner, both lost money. Therefore, the goal of the game was to achieve a balance in which both parties donate approximately equal amounts in euros.

You may be wondering: Why are women more religious than men?

On average, men contributed a little (butinsignificantly) more than women - in the first game they donated 4.05 euros, while women 3.92 euros. However, the researchers noticed a significant difference based on mutual sympathy when a woman participated in the game. Same-sex teams of female players with high mutual sympathy on average contributed 30% more than teams with low mutual sympathy. But men rarely changed the amount of their contribution. The results in the mixed sex teams were even more impressive: men contributed 50%, and women 37% less money if mutual sympathy was low.

Mutual sympathy or its absence practically does not affect decision-making in men

Do you think mutualsympathy has such a strong effect on the fair sex? Let's talk about this in the comments to this article and with the participants of our Telegram chat

The second game showed similar results. In women's and mixed groups, mutual sympathy was positively correlated with high contributions. In the men's teams, both participants from the very beginning made high contributions, regardless of their mutual sympathy. According to researchers, while the influence of sympathy on the decision-making process in men is practically not expressed, for women mutual sympathy means a lot, especially when it comes to teamwork.