Imagine you and a friend are on a treasure hunt together. You need to work as a team, dividing tasks between you in order to find the hidden gems. But how do you decide who does what? Researchers wanted to know how people make these decisions and whether they stick with their initial strategy or change it based on new information. To investigate this, they created an online task where pairs of participants had to collect colored items. The researchers found that when the cognitive costs of using a particular strategy were high, pairs were more likely to adopt a different strategy that reduced these costs. However, once they settled on a strategy, they continued to use it even when the cost–benefits changed. This suggests that people are willing to invest time and effort into creating joint strategies that work for them, and are reluctant to change them once they have been established. Understanding how people decompose joint tasks can give us insights into how collaboration works and how conventions evolve. To read more about this fascinating research, check out the full article!
Abstract
The core of human cooperation is people’s ability to perform joint actions. Frequently, this requires effectively decomposing a joint task into individual subtasks, for example, when jointly shopping at the market to buy food. Surprisingly, little is known about how collaborators balance the costs of establishing a joint strategy for such decompositions and its expected benefits for a joint goal. We created a new online task that required pairs of randomly matched participants to jointly collect colored items. We then systematically varied the cognitive costs and benefits of applying a color-splitting strategy. The results showed that pairs adopted a color-splitting strategy more often when necessary to lower cognitive costs. However, once the strategy was jointly adopted, it continued to be used even when the cost–benefits changed. Our results provide first insights on how people decompose joint tasks into individual components and how decomposition strategies may evolve into conventions.
Dr. David Lowemann, M.Sc, Ph.D., is a co-founder of the Institute for the Future of Human Potential, where he leads the charge in pioneering Self-Enhancement Science for the Success of Society. With a keen interest in exploring the untapped potential of the human mind, Dr. Lowemann has dedicated his career to pushing the boundaries of human capabilities and understanding.
Armed with a Master of Science degree and a Ph.D. in his field, Dr. Lowemann has consistently been at the forefront of research and innovation, delving into ways to optimize human performance, cognition, and overall well-being. His work at the Institute revolves around a profound commitment to harnessing cutting-edge science and technology to help individuals lead more fulfilling and intelligent lives.
Dr. Lowemann’s influence extends to the educational platform BetterSmarter.me, where he shares his insights, findings, and personal development strategies with a broader audience. His ongoing mission is shaping the way we perceive and leverage the vast capacities of the human mind, offering invaluable contributions to society’s overall success and collective well-being.