Payback : effects of relationship and cultural norms on reciprocity

• Main Authors: Jung, Younbo, Hall, Jeff, Hong, Renyi, Goh, Tiffany, Ong, Natalynn, Tan, Nathanael
• Other Authors: Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Cultural studies
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/79600; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/23988
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This experimental investigation explores differences in reciprocal norms between friends and strangers and the effects of culture on reciprocity. Based on altruistic and strong reciprocity theories, a hybrid trust-dictator game tested the influence of relationship (i.e., friends vs. strangers), treatment (i.e., positive vs. negative), and culture (i.e., collectivistic vs. individualistic) on reciprocation. The results (N = 160) showed that participants reciprocated more positively when treated positively in general. However, the results demonstrated intercultural differences in reciprocal norms, specifically in the negative treatment condition. Participants from the individualistic culture provided stronger punishment to the norm violator, compared to participants from the collectivistic culture. We discuss implications of the impact of relationship and culture on reciprocation with respect to the olive branch response.