ABSTRACT
The level of moral development may be crucial to understand behavior when people have to choose between prioritizing individual gains or pursuing general social benefits. This study evaluated whether two different psychological constructs, moral reasoning and moral competence, are associated with cooperative behavior in the context of the prisoner's dilemma game, a two-person social dilemma where individuals choose between cooperation or defection. One hundred and eighty-nine Mexican university students completed the Defining Issues Test (DIT-2; measuring moral reasoning) and the Moral Competence Test (MCT) and played an online version of the prisoner's dilemma game, once against each participant in a group of 6-10 players. Our results indicate that cooperative behavior is strongly affected by the outcomes in previous rounds: Except when both participants cooperated, the probability of cooperation with other participants in subsequent rounds decreased. Both the DIT-2 and MCT independently moderated this effect of previous experiences, particularly in the case of sucker-outcomes. Individuals with high scores on both tests were not affected when in previous rounds the other player defected while they cooperated. Our findings suggest that more sophisticated moral reasoning and moral competence promote the maintenance of cooperative behaviors despite facing adverse situations.
Subject(s)
Cooperative Behavior , Morals , Humans , Prisoner Dilemma , Probability , Problem SolvingABSTRACT
Resumen Alrededor del 75% de los habitantes de Metlatónoc, Guerrero, viven en pobreza extrema (ENSANUT, 2012), lo que aumenta sus probabilidades de padecer problemas de salud, fundamentalmente en materias de higiene y nutrición. Para proporcionar a esta población herramientas que mejoren el control sobre la toma de decisiones que afectan su salud y prevenir enfermedades, se implementó un programa comunitario basado en habilidades para la vida y en el Marco para Facilitar el Empoderamiento Intrínseco (Pick y Sirkin, 2010). Se impartió un taller para formar a 35 promotores, quienes lo replicaron con la población meta siguiendo una metodología participativa y vivencial, llegando a 4,728 personas -casi todas mujeres-. Para evaluar el efecto del programa se aplicó un cuestionario de autorreporte; con los promotores se utilizó un diseño longitudinal: pre, post y seguimiento, y con la población meta un diseño pre-post con grupo control. Se encontraron efectos favorables y significativos en gran parte de las variables evaluadas (conocimientos, actitudes y conductas meta, habilidades para la vida, barreras psicosociales, agencia personal y empoderamiento intrínseco), en ambos tipos de participantes. Los hallazgos se discuten a la luz de su contribución para disminuir la vulnerabilidad de las personas y potenciar su desarrollo.
Abstract About 75% of the population of Metlatónoc, Guerrero, México, lives in extreme poverty (ENSANUT, 2012), which increases the probability of having health problems, regarding their hygiene and nutrition. In order to facilitate tools which can allow this population to improve their control over their decisions with respect to their health and disease prevention, a community-based program based on life skills and the Framework for Enabling Intrinsic Empowerment (Pick y Sirkin, 2010) was implemented. Thirty five promoters were trained through an experiential workshop, who replicated it with 4,728 people -mostly women-. To evaluate the program effect, a self-report questionnaire was applied; a longitudinal design (pre, post and follow-up) was used with the promoters and a pre-post with control group with the target population. With both groups, positive statistically significant effects were found in most of the variables: knowledge, attitudes and target behaviors, life skills, psychosocial barriers, personal agency and intrinsic empowerment. Findings are discussed in light of their contribution to diminish the vulnerability of this population, and strengthen their potential for development.
ABSTRACT
Con el propósito de modificar conductas alimentarias y sanitarias en los habitantes de comunidades marginadas, a través del desarrollo de conocimientos y habilidades psicosociales encaminadas a promover agencia personal y empoderamiento intrínseco, se desarrolló e instrumentó en México un modelo piloto basado en el programa "Yo quiero, yo puedo? mejorar mi salud y ejercer mis derechos". La evaluación de dicho programa mostró un efecto sobre conocimientos, comunicación asertiva, agencia personal y equidad de género en el personal de los almacenes que surte las tiendas rurales, así como en conocimientos, comunicación asertiva, toma de decisiones y agencia personal en la población meta. Las habilidades psicosociales, los conocimientos y la agencia personal ofrecen oportunidades para superar la pobreza...
Based on the program Yo quiero, yo puedo mejorar mi salud y ejercer mis derechos [I want to, I can improve my health and exercise my rights], a pilot model was designed and implemented in three States of Mexico. This model aims to change nutrition and hygiene behaviors in the inhabitants of marginalized communities, through knowledge and psychosocial skills development facilitating personal agency and intrinsic empowerment. Evaluation of the program showed an effect on knowledge, assertive communication, personal agency and gender equity among the personnel in charge of the warehouses that provide the rural stores, and on knowledge, assertive communication, decision making and personal agency in the target population. Life skills training, knowledge and personal agency promotion enhance opportunities for poverty reduction...
