Team cooperation dynamics in mixed-motive teams

This research investigates how cooperation unfolds in mixed-motive teams—where individuals must navigate tensions between personal gain and collective success—through an online social dilemma game. Players choose between selfish actions that maximize personal rewards but drain shared resources, and cooperative actions that benefit the team but offer lower individual payoffs. Initial strategy alignment proved critical: teams with aligned motives maintained stable cooperation, while misaligned teams were more prone to fluctuating trust and collaboration. Communication played a central role in reducing uncertainty about a teammate’s motives or skills and in steering teams toward mutual cooperation.

Screenshot from the online social dilemma game. Players must decide between cooperative or selfish actions while managing shared team resources. Real-time messaging allows teammates to reduce uncertainty, build trust, and coordinate strategies—key mechanisms for resolving conflicting motives in mixed-motive teams.

Trust dynamics evolved over time, with cooperative players generally viewed as more trustworthy. Yet, in persistently misaligned teams, even cooperative players were eventually rated low on trust, highlighting how sustained misalignment erodes team cohesion. Perceived competence also influenced strategy—non-cooperative players often viewed themselves as more skilled, reinforcing self-serving behavior. Key interventions proposed include emphasizing shared goals, adjusting perceived teammate competence, and encouraging proactive communication by cooperative players to guide the team toward aligned strategies and rebuild trust.

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