Share honor and dishonor? The effect of task-based shared experience on cooperation

Abstract: As an indispensable behavior in human social activities, cooperation has attracted the great attention of scholars in various fields. Although previous studies have proved that shared experiences can promote cooperative behavior, little attention has been paid to the social event-based shared experiences that interact with others in life. Especially, little attention has been paid to task-based co-experiences, which are often encountered in life and learning. Therefore, the present study explores the relationship between task-based co-experiences and cooperative behavior, and the changes in cooperative behavior after the task is success or failure. Present study used three experiments to explore the relationship between task-based shared experiences and cooperative behavior, and the role of trust, interpersonal distance, and experience success or failure. In study 1, participants were randomly assigned to either task-type shared experience or task-type different experience conditions. In the task-type shared experience condition, two participants were required to complete the same task (memory task), and in the task-type different experience condition, two participants completed different tasks (memory task or summary task). Using the public goods dilemma to measure cooperative behavior, it is found that cooperative behavior is higher under task-based shared experiences than under task-based different experiences. Study 2 made some improvements on study 1 to rule out other possible explanations, and measured trust and interpersonal distance to explore the mechanisms underlying the relationship between task-based shared experiences and cooperative behavior, and found that trust and interpersonal distance mediate the effects of task-based shared experiences on cooperative behavior. Study 3 further explored the influence of experience success or failure on cooperative behavior, and found that, compared with failed task-based co-experiences, successful task-based co-experiences promoted cooperative behavior more, while different experiences had no effect on cooperative behavior, trust and interpersonal distance, still, mediate process. This study enriched the relevant research on shared experience, and provided some guidance and suggestions for improving group cooperation and promoting group cohesion.