Cooperation and competition in intercultural interactions

Previous research has demonstrated that intercultural interactions produce less positive outcomes in cooperative behaviors in game play than intracultural interactions, yet no study to date has empirically linked these behavioral outcomes to cultural differences between the players. In this study stranger dyads played a modified version of Prisoner's Dilemma either with a partner from the same country or not. Intercultural dyads were less cooperative and more competitive, replicating previous findings. The behavioral outcomes for the intercultural dyads were reliably associated with differences in the dyad's home country scores on Hofstede's (2001) cultural dimension Power Distance, linking cultural differences between players and behavioral outcomes in intercultural game play.

Research highlights
► Stranger dyads played a game of cooperation either with a partner from the same country or not.
► Intercultural dyads were less cooperative and more competitive replicating previous findings.
► The outcomes were associated with differences in the home country scores on Power Distance.
► This study links cultural differences behavioral outcomes in intercultural game play.