Group size effect on cooperation in one-shot social dilemmas

PubMed Central

Barcelo, Hélène; Capraro, Valerio

2015-01-01

Social dilemmas are central to human society. Depletion of natural resources, climate protection, security of energy supply, and workplace collaborations are all examples of social dilemmas. Since cooperative behaviour in a social dilemma is individually costly, Nash equilibrium predicts that humans should not cooperate. Yet experimental studies show that people do cooperate even in anonymous one-shot interactions. In spite of the large number of participants in many modern social dilemmas, little is known about the effect of group size on cooperation. Does larger group size favour or prevent cooperation? We address this problem both experimentally and theoretically. Experimentally, we find that there is no general answer: it depends on the strategic situation. Specifically, we find that larger groups are more cooperative in the Public Goods game, but less cooperative in the N-person Prisoner's dilemma. Theoretically, we show that this behaviour is not consistent with either the Fehr & Schmidt model or (a one-parameter version of) the Charness & Rabin model, but it is consistent with the cooperative equilibrium model introduced by the second author. PMID:25605124

Non-Cooperative Group Decision Support Systems: Problems and Some Solutions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

appears that in these situations the 46 content of the problem and the structure of the problem is " fuzzy ." It requires an active cooperation between the...some unstructured parts will remain. This partial ’unstructurability’ is due to uncertainty, fuzziness , ignorance, and an inability to...according to the Analytic Hierarchy Process ( AHP ) technique (Gui, 1985). The AHP algorithm consists of the following steps; (i) Perform a pairwise comparison

The Effects of Teacher Discourse on Students' Discourse, Problem-Solving and Reasoning during Cooperative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillies, Robyn M.; Khan, Asaduzzaman

2008-01-01

The study sought to determine if teachers who are taught specific communication skills designed to challenge students' cognitive and metacognitive thinking during cooperative learning use more challenging and scaffolding behaviours to mediate students' learning than teachers who implement cooperative learning or small-group work who have not been…

Group Problem-Solving versus Lecture in College-Level Quantitative Analysis: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williamson, Vickie M.; Rowe, Marvin W.

2002-09-01

The purpose of this semester-long study was to investigate the effect of replacing traditional lecture with cooperative group problem-solving sessions in a junior-level quantitative analysis course. The control and treatment groups had the same instructor, met on the same day, had the same reading assignments, and had common exams. The instructor worked sample problems for the control group. In the treatment group, students were assigned to heterogeneous cooperative groups of 4. The groups solved problems presented on an overhead that were the same or equivalent in content and number to those used in the control group. Students were responsible for making sure that all members of the group could work each problem. The students' reasoning abilities were measured by the Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT). Groups were compared on quiz, exam, final, and course grades. Other data included attitudinal surveys, observations, field notes, interviews, and open-response evaluations. No significant differences were found in content measures. Differences were found in the number of students dropping the course and in the attitudes and perceptions of the two groups. Qualitative measures support a number of assertions concerning more positive attitudes and lower withdrawal rates in the treatment group, and a case for mixed delivery modes.

Gossip and ostracism promote cooperation in groups.

PubMed

Feinberg, Matthew; Willer, Robb; Schultz, Michael

2014-03-01

The widespread existence of cooperation is difficult to explain because individuals face strong incentives to exploit the cooperative tendencies of others. In the research reported here, we examined how the spread of reputational information through gossip promotes cooperation in mixed-motive settings. Results showed that individuals readily communicated reputational information about others, and recipients used this information to selectively interact with cooperative individuals and ostracize those who had behaved selfishly, which enabled group members to contribute to the public good with reduced threat of exploitation. Additionally, ostracized individuals responded to exclusion by subsequently cooperating at levels comparable to those who were not ostracized. These results suggest that the spread of reputational information through gossip can mitigate egoistic behavior by facilitating partner selection, thereby helping to solve the problem of cooperation even in noniterated interactions.

Dealing with Free-Riders in Assessed Group Work: Results from a Study at a UK University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maiden, Barbara; Perry, Bob

2011-01-01

Potential employers require graduates to be able to demonstrate competent teamwork skills in initiating ideas and solving problems cooperatively. Teamwork is prevalent in educational institutions and often included as a way of enriching learning and assessment. Whilst group working can provide a rich opportunity for cooperative learning, its…

The Galactic Spaceship Tour Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engel, Bill; Schmidt, Diane

2004-01-01

A science fiction problem was placed before the students, they had to plan a profitable trip for Galactic spaceship tour and for which group of five students was made to solve the problem, which would encourage cooperative efforts, and different people in the group could work on different aspects. An important part of this problem is that students…

Cooperative learning of neutron diffusion and transport theories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robinson, Michael A.

1999-04-30

A cooperative group instructional strategy is being used to teach a unit on neutron transport and diffusion theory in a first-year-graduate level, Reactor Theory course that was formerly presented in the traditional lecture/discussion style. Students are divided into groups of two or three for the duration of the unit. Class meetings are divided into traditional lecture/discussion segments punctuated by cooperative group exercises. The group exercises were designed to require the students to elaborate, summarize, or practice the material presented in the lecture/discussion segments. Both positive interdependence and individual accountability are fostered by adjusting individual grades on the unit exam bymore » a factor dependent upon group achievement. Group collaboration was also encouraged on homework assignments by assigning each group a single grade on each assignment. The results of the unit exam have been above average in the two classes in which the cooperative group method was employed. In particular, the problem solving ability of the students has shown particular improvement. Further,the students felt that the cooperative group format was both more educationally effective and more enjoyable than the lecture/discussion format.« less

Facilitating Cooperative Learning in Online and Blended Courses: An Example from an Integrated Marketing Communications Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Katryna

2013-01-01

Employers today expect that students will be able to work in teams. Cooperative learning theory addresses how skills such as decision making, problem solving and communication can be learned by individuals in group settings. This paper discusses how cooperative learning can be used in an online and blended environment to increase active learning…

Using process groups to implement failure detection in asynchronous environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ricciardi, Aleta M.; Birman, Kenneth P.

1991-01-01

Agreement on the membership of a group of processes in a distributed system is a basic problem that arises in a wide range of applications. Such groups occur when a set of processes cooperate to perform some task, share memory, monitor one another, subdivide a computation, and so forth. The group membership problems is discussed as it relates to failure detection in asynchronous, distributed systems. A rigorous, formal specification for group membership is presented under this interpretation. A solution is then presented for this problem.

A comparison of the cooperative learning and traditional learning methods in theory classes on nursing students' communication skill with patients at clinical settings.

PubMed

Baghcheghi, Nayereh; Koohestani, Hamid Reza; Rezaei, Koresh

2011-11-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of traditional learning and cooperative learning methods on nursing students' communication skill with patients. This was an experimental study in which 34 nursing students in their 2nd semester of program participated. They were divided randomly into two groups, a control group who were taught their medical/surgical nursing course by traditional learning method and an experimental group, who were taught the same material using cooperative learning method. Before and after the teaching intervention, the students' communication skills with patients at clinical settings were examined. The results showed that no significant difference between the two groups in students' communication skills scores before the teaching intervention, but did show a significant difference between the two groups in the interaction skills and problem follow up sub-scales scores after the teaching intervention. This study provides evidence that cooperative learning is an effective method for improving and increasing communication skills of nursing students especially in interactive skills and follow up the problems sub-scale, thereby it is recommended to increase nursing students' participation in arguments by applying active teaching methods which can provide the opportunity for increased communication skills. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cooperative Coevolution with Formula-Based Variable Grouping for Large-Scale Global Optimization.

PubMed

Wang, Yuping; Liu, Haiyan; Wei, Fei; Zong, Tingting; Li, Xiaodong

2017-08-09

For a large-scale global optimization (LSGO) problem, divide-and-conquer is usually considered an effective strategy to decompose the problem into smaller subproblems, each of which can then be solved individually. Among these decomposition methods, variable grouping is shown to be promising in recent years. Existing variable grouping methods usually assume the problem to be black-box (i.e., assuming that an analytical model of the objective function is unknown), and they attempt to learn appropriate variable grouping that would allow for a better decomposition of the problem. In such cases, these variable grouping methods do not make a direct use of the formula of the objective function. However, it can be argued that many real-world problems are white-box problems, that is, the formulas of objective functions are often known a priori. These formulas of the objective functions provide rich information which can then be used to design an effective variable group method. In this article, a formula-based grouping strategy (FBG) for white-box problems is first proposed. It groups variables directly via the formula of an objective function which usually consists of a finite number of operations (i.e., four arithmetic operations "[Formula: see text]", "[Formula: see text]", "[Formula: see text]", "[Formula: see text]" and composite operations of basic elementary functions). In FBG, the operations are classified into two classes: one resulting in nonseparable variables, and the other resulting in separable variables. In FBG, variables can be automatically grouped into a suitable number of non-interacting subcomponents, with variables in each subcomponent being interdependent. FBG can easily be applied to any white-box problem and can be integrated into a cooperative coevolution framework. Based on FBG, a novel cooperative coevolution algorithm with formula-based variable grouping (so-called CCF) is proposed in this article for decomposing a large-scale white-box problem into several smaller subproblems and optimizing them respectively. To further enhance the efficiency of CCF, a new local search scheme is designed to improve the solution quality. To verify the efficiency of CCF, experiments are conducted on the standard LSGO benchmark suites of CEC'2008, CEC'2010, CEC'2013, and a real-world problem. Our results suggest that the performance of CCF is very competitive when compared with those of the state-of-the-art LSGO algorithms.

Performance impact of mutation operators of a subpopulation-based genetic algorithm for multi-robot task allocation problems.

PubMed

Liu, Chun; Kroll, Andreas

2016-01-01

Multi-robot task allocation determines the task sequence and distribution for a group of robots in multi-robot systems, which is one of constrained combinatorial optimization problems and more complex in case of cooperative tasks because they introduce additional spatial and temporal constraints. To solve multi-robot task allocation problems with cooperative tasks efficiently, a subpopulation-based genetic algorithm, a crossover-free genetic algorithm employing mutation operators and elitism selection in each subpopulation, is developed in this paper. Moreover, the impact of mutation operators (swap, insertion, inversion, displacement, and their various combinations) is analyzed when solving several industrial plant inspection problems. The experimental results show that: (1) the proposed genetic algorithm can obtain better solutions than the tested binary tournament genetic algorithm with partially mapped crossover; (2) inversion mutation performs better than other tested mutation operators when solving problems without cooperative tasks, and the swap-inversion combination performs better than other tested mutation operators/combinations when solving problems with cooperative tasks. As it is difficult to produce all desired effects with a single mutation operator, using multiple mutation operators (including both inversion and swap) is suggested when solving similar combinatorial optimization problems.

Studying primate learning in group contexts: Tests of social foraging, response to novelty, and cooperative problem solving.

PubMed

Drea, Christine M

2006-03-01

Learning commonly refers to the modification of behavior through experience, whereby an animal gains information about stimulus-response contingencies from interacting with its physical environment. Social learning, on the other hand, occurs when the same information originates, not from the animal's personal experience, but from the actions of others. Socially biased learning is the 'collective outcome of interacting physical, social, and individual factors' [D. Fragaszy, E. Visalberghi, Learn. Behav. 32 (2004) 24-35.] (see p. 24). Mounting interest in animal social learning has brought with it certain innovations in animal testing procedures. Variants of the observer-demonstrator and cooperation paradigms, for instance, have been used widely in captive settings to examine the transmission or coordination of behavior, respectively, between two animals. Relatively few studies, however, have examined social learning in more complex group settings and even fewer have manipulated the social environment to empirically test the effect of group dynamics on problem solving. The present paper outlines procedures for group testing captive non-human primates, in spacious arenas, to evaluate the social modulation of learning and performance. These methods are illustrated in the context of (1) naturalistic social foraging problems, modeled after traditional visual discrimination paradigms, (2) response to novel objects and novel extractive foraging tasks, and (3) cooperative problem solving. Each example showcases the benefits of experimentally manipulating social context to compare an animal's performance in intact groups (or even pairs) against its performance under different social circumstances. Broader application of group testing procedures and manipulation of group composition promise to provide meaningful insight into socially biased learning.

How much structuring is beneficial with regard to examination scores? A prospective study of three forms of active learning.

PubMed

Reinhardt, Claus H; Rosen, Evelyne N

2012-09-01

Many studies have demonstrated a superiority of active learning forms compared with traditional lecture. However, there is still debate as to what degree structuring is necessary with regard to high exam outcomes. Seventy-five students from a premedical school were randomly attributed to an active lecture group, a cooperative group, or a collaborative learning group. The active lecture group received lectures with questions to resolve at the end of the lecture. At the same time, the cooperative group and the collaborative group had to work on a problem and prepare presentations for their answers. The collaborative group worked in a mostly self-directed manner; the cooperative group had to follow a time schedule. For the additional work of preparing the poster presentation, the collaborative and cooperative groups were allowed 50% more working time. In part 1, all groups worked on the citric acid cycle, and in part 2, all groups worked on molecular genetics. Collaborative groups had to work on tasks and prepare presentations for their answers. At the end of each part, all three groups were subjected to the same exam. Additionally, in the collaborative and cooperative groups, the presentations were marked. All evaluations were performed by two independent examiners. Exam results of the active lecture groups were highest. Results of the cooperative group were nonsignificantly lower than the active lecture group and significantly higher than the collaborative group. The presentation quality was nonsignificantly higher in the collaborative group compared with the cooperative group. This study shows that active lecturing produced the highest exam results, which significantly differed from collaborative learning results. The additional elaboration in the cooperative and collaborative learning setting yielded the high presentation quality but apparently could not contribute further to exam scores. Cooperative learning seems to be a good compromise if high exam and presentation scores are expected.

A hybrid approach for integrated healthcare cooperative purchasing and supply chain configuration.

PubMed

Rego, Nazaré; Claro, João; Pinho de Sousa, Jorge

2014-12-01

This paper presents an innovative and flexible approach for recommending the number, size and composition of purchasing groups, for a set of hospitals willing to cooperate, while minimising their shared supply chain costs. This approach makes the financial impact of the various cooperation alternatives transparent to the group and the individual participants, opening way to a negotiation process concerning the allocation of the cooperation costs and gains. The approach was developed around a hybrid Variable Neighbourhood Search (VNS)/Tabu Search metaheuristic, resulting in a flexible tool that can be applied to purchasing groups with different characteristics, namely different operative and market circumstances, and to supply chains with different topologies and atypical cost characteristics. Preliminary computational results show the potential of the approach in solving a broad range of problems.

A Multi-layer Dynamic Model for Coordination Based Group Decision Making in Water Resource Allocation and Scheduling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei; Zhang, Xingnan; Li, Chenming; Wang, Jianying

Management of group decision-making is an important issue in water source management development. In order to overcome the defects in lacking of effective communication and cooperation in the existing decision-making models, this paper proposes a multi-layer dynamic model for coordination in water resource allocation and scheduling based group decision making. By introducing the scheme-recognized cooperative satisfaction index and scheme-adjusted rationality index, the proposed model can solve the problem of poor convergence of multi-round decision-making process in water resource allocation and scheduling. Furthermore, the problem about coordination of limited resources-based group decision-making process can be solved based on the effectiveness of distance-based group of conflict resolution. The simulation results show that the proposed model has better convergence than the existing models.

Fostering Mathematical Creativity through Problem Posing and Modeling Using Dynamic Geometry: Viviani's Problem in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Contreras, José N.

2013-01-01

This paper discusses a classroom experience in which a group of prospective secondary mathematics teachers were asked to create, cooperatively (in class) and individually, problems related to Viviani's problem using a problem-posing framework. When appropriate, students used Sketchpad to explore the problem to better understand its attributes…

Broken Squares: A Simulation Exploring Cooperation and Conflict.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanford Univ., CA. Stanford Program on International and Cross Cultural Education.

This simulation activity introduces the concepts of cooperation and competition and exploring positive models for problem solving. The activity can be used with elementary and secondary school participants, as well as with adults. Suggestions for adapting discussion for younger participants are provided. The group task is to form five equal-sized…

The group discussion effect: integrative processes and suggestions for implementation.

PubMed

Meleady, Rose; Hopthrow, Tim; Crisp, Richard J

2013-02-01

One of the most consistent findings in experimental social dilemmas research is the positive effect group discussion has on cooperative behavior. At a time when cooperation and consensus is critical to tackle global problems, ranging from debt to deforestation, understanding the dynamics of group discussion is a pressing need. Unfortunately, research investigating the underlying processes and implementation of the effect has been inconclusive. The authors present a critical review of existing explanations and integrate these perspectives into a single process model of group discussion, providing a more complete theoretical picture of how interrelated factors combine to facilitate discussion-induced cooperation. On the basis of this theoretical analysis, they consider complimentary approaches to the indirect and feasible implementation of group discussion. They argue that such strategies may overcome the barriers to direct discussion observed across a range of groups and organizations.

How Partner Gender Influences Female Students' Problem Solving in Physics Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, N.; Harskamp, E.

2006-12-01

Research has shown that female students cannot profit as much as male students can from cooperative learning in physics, especially in mixed-gender dyads. This study has explored the influence of partner gender on female students' learning achievement, interaction and the problem-solving process during cooperative learning. In Shanghai, a total of 50 students (26 females and 24 males), drawn from two classes of a high school, took part in the study. Students were randomly paired, and there were three research groups: mixed-gender dyads (MG), female-female dyads (FF) and male-male dyads (MM). Analysis of students' pre- and post-test performances revealed that female students in the single-gender condition solved physics problems more effectively than did those in the mixed-gender condition, while the same was not the case for male students. We further explored the differences between female and male communication styles, and content among the three research groups. It showed that the females' interaction content and problem-solving processes were more sensitive to partner gender than were those for males. This might explain why mixed-gender cooperation in physics disadvantages females in high schools.

Perception of Peace in Students' Drawings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cengelci Kose, Tuba; Gurdogan Bayir, Omur

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: Societies are facing several kinds of problems in the world today as chaos among the countries, conflicts between different groups, wars and diseases. It can be claimed that solving these problems is impossible unless societies care about humanistic cooperation, tolerance and peace. Individuals required developing fundamental…

Grouped to Achieve: Are There Benefits to Assigning Students to Heterogeneous Cooperative Learning Groups Based on Pre-Test Scores?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werth, Arman Karl

Cooperative learning has been one of the most widely used instructional practices around the world since the early 1980's. Small learning groups have been in existence since the beginning of the human race. These groups have grown in their variance and complexity overtime. Classrooms are getting more diverse every year and instructors need a way to take advantage of this diversity to improve learning. The purpose of this study was to see if heterogeneous cooperative learning groups based on student achievement can be used as a differentiated instructional strategy to increase students' ability to demonstrate knowledge of science concepts and ability to do engineering design. This study includes two different groups made up of two different middle school science classrooms of 25-30 students. These students were given an engineering design problem to solve within cooperative learning groups. One class was put into heterogeneous cooperative learning groups based on student's pre-test scores. The other class was grouped based on random assignment. The study measured the difference between each class's pre-post gains, student's responses to a group interaction form and interview questions addressing their perceptions of the makeup of their groups. The findings of the study were that there was no significant difference between learning gains for the treatment and comparison groups. There was a significant difference between the treatment and comparison groups in student perceptions of their group's ability to stay on task and manage their time efficiently. Both the comparison and treatment groups had a positive perception of the composition of their cooperative learning groups.

Collective punishment is more effective than collective reward for promoting cooperation

PubMed Central

Gao, Lei; Wang, Zhen; Pansini, Riccardo; Li, Yao-Tang; Wang, Rui-Wu

2015-01-01

Collective punishment and reward are usually regarded as two potential mechanisms to explain the evolution of cooperation. Both scenarios, however, seem problematic to understand cooperative behavior, because they can raise the second-order free-rider problem and many organisms are not able to discriminate less cooperating individuals. Even though they have been proved to increase cooperation, there has been a debate about which one being more effective. To address this issue, we resort to the N-player evolutionary snowdrift game (NESG), where a collective punishment/reward mechanism is added by allowing some players to display punishment/reward towards all remaining players. By means of numerous simulations and analyses, we find that collective punishment is more effective in promoting cooperation for a relatively high initial frequency of cooperation or for a relatively small group. When the intensity of punishment exceeds a certain threshold, a stable state of full cooperation emerges for both small and large groups. In contrast, such state does not appear for large groups playing a NESG with reward mechanism. In the case of mutualistic interactions, finally, our results show the new payoff with collective punishment/reward can lead to the coexistence of cooperators and defectors when discrimination between these two is not possible. PMID:26634907

Collective punishment is more effective than collective reward for promoting cooperation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Lei; Wang, Zhen; Pansini, Riccardo; Li, Yao-Tang; Wang, Rui-Wu

2015-12-01

Collective punishment and reward are usually regarded as two potential mechanisms to explain the evolution of cooperation. Both scenarios, however, seem problematic to understand cooperative behavior, because they can raise the second-order free-rider problem and many organisms are not able to discriminate less cooperating individuals. Even though they have been proved to increase cooperation, there has been a debate about which one being more effective. To address this issue, we resort to the N-player evolutionary snowdrift game (NESG), where a collective punishment/reward mechanism is added by allowing some players to display punishment/reward towards all remaining players. By means of numerous simulations and analyses, we find that collective punishment is more effective in promoting cooperation for a relatively high initial frequency of cooperation or for a relatively small group. When the intensity of punishment exceeds a certain threshold, a stable state of full cooperation emerges for both small and large groups. In contrast, such state does not appear for large groups playing a NESG with reward mechanism. In the case of mutualistic interactions, finally, our results show the new payoff with collective punishment/reward can lead to the coexistence of cooperators and defectors when discrimination between these two is not possible.

Status Problem and Expectations of Competence: A Challenging Path for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pescarmona, Isabella

2015-01-01

Complex Instruction (CI) is a cooperative learning approach, which aims at improving the equal status interaction among students working in groups who may be at different academic and social levels. Based on an ethnographic research, the article examines how a group of Italian primary school teachers understand the status problem and how the…

From cooperation to conflict? Swedish rehabilitation professionals' experiences of interorganizational cooperation.

PubMed

Ståhl, Christian; Svensson, Tommy; Ekberg, Kerstin

2011-09-01

This article analyses Swedish rehabilitation professionals' experiences of interorganizational cooperation in return-to-work and labour market reintegration. Two groups (n = 15) from different organizations met on a regular basis to discuss their practice from a cooperation perspective. The participants had experience of cooperation in the organizational setting of Coordination Associations. The groups worked with a tutor according to a problem-based methodology, to discuss how their practice is influenced by new structures for cooperation. The material was analysed inductively using qualitative content analysis. Interorganizational cooperation in rehabilitation is generally perceived as promoting coherence and communication. Nevertheless, there are several contradictory factors in the implementation of such work forms, primarily inflexible sickness insurance regulations and inability of managers to implement cooperation in regular practice. While interorganizational cooperation promotes professional discretion and tailored solutions, the insurance system contradicts such ambitions through increased governance. Ultimately, the contradictory tendencies of cooperative initiatives and the stricter governance of sickness insurance regulations are political matters. If political attempts to promote interorganizational cooperation are to succeed, the increasing sectorization that results from strict governance of sickness insurance regulations needs to be targeted on a system level.

Increasing Explanatory Behaviour, Problem-Solving, and Reasoning within Classes Using Cooperative Group Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillies, Robyn M.; Haynes, Michele

2011-01-01

The present study builds on research that indicates that teachers play a key role in promoting those interactional behaviours that challenge children's thinking and scaffold their learning. It does this by seeking to determine whether teachers who implement cooperative learning and receive training in explicit strategic questioning strategies…

Cooperative Networks: Altruism, Group Solidarity, Reciprocity, and Sanctioning in Ugandan Producer Organizations.

PubMed

Baldassarri, Delia

2015-09-01

Repeated interaction and social networks are commonly considered viable solutions to collective action problems. This article identifies and systematically measures four general mechanisms--that is, generalized altruism, group solidarity, reciprocity, and the threat of sanctioning--and tests which of them brings about cooperation in the context of Ugandan producer organizations. Using an innovative methodological framework that combines "lab-in-the-field" experiments with survey interviews and complete social networks data, the article goes beyond the assessment of a relationship between social networks and collective outcomes to study the mechanisms that favor cooperative behavior. The article first establishes a positive relationship between position in the network structure and propensity to cooperate in the producer organization and then uses farmers' behavior in dictator and public goods games to test different mechanisms that may account for such a relationship. Results show that cooperation is induced by patterns of reciprocity that emerge through repeated interaction rather than other-regarding preferences like altruism or group solidarity.

Design of a cooperative problem-solving system for en-route flight planning: An empirical evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Layton, Charles; Smith, Philip J.; Mc Coy, C. Elaine

1994-01-01

Both optimization techniques and expert systems technologies are popular approaches for developing tools to assist in complex problem-solving tasks. Because of the underlying complexity of many such tasks, however, the models of the world implicitly or explicitly embedded in such tools are often incomplete and the problem-solving methods fallible. The result can be 'brittleness' in situations that were not anticipated by the system designers. To deal with this weakness, it has been suggested that 'cooperative' rather than 'automated' problem-solving systems be designed. Such cooperative systems are proposed to explicitly enhance the collaboration of the person (or a group of people) and the computer system. This study evaluates the impact of alternative design concepts on the performance of 30 airline pilots interacting with such a cooperative system designed to support en-route flight planning. The results clearly demonstrate that different system design concepts can strongly influence the cognitive processes and resultant performances of users. Based on think-aloud protocols, cognitive models are proposed to account for how features of the computer system interacted with specific types of scenarios to influence exploration and decision making by the pilots. The results are then used to develop recommendations for guiding the design of cooperative systems.

Design of a cooperative problem-solving system for en-route flight planning: An empirical evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Layton, Charles; Smith, Philip J.; McCoy, C. Elaine

1994-01-01

Both optimization techniques and expert systems technologies are popular approaches for developing tools to assist in complex problem-solving tasks. Because of the underlying complexity of many such tasks, however, the models of the world implicitly or explicitly embedded in such tools are often incomplete and the problem-solving methods fallible. The result can be 'brittleness' in situations that were not anticipated by the system designers. To deal with this weakness, it has been suggested that 'cooperative' rather than 'automated' problem-solving systems be designed. Such cooperative systems are proposed to explicitly enhance the collaboration of the person (or a group of people) and the computer system. This study evaluates the impact of alternative design concepts on the performance of 30 airline pilots interacting with such a cooperative system designed to support enroute flight planning. The results clearly demonstrate that different system design concepts can strongly influence the cognitive processes and resultant performances of users. Based on think-aloud protocols, cognitive models are proposed to account for how features of the computer system interacted with specific types of scenarios to influence exploration and decision making by the pilots. The results are then used to develop recommendations for guiding the design of cooperative systems.

Solving the second-order free rider problem in a public goods game: An experiment using a leader support system

PubMed Central

Ozono, Hiroki; Jin, Nobuhito; Watabe, Motoki; Shimizu, Kazumi

2016-01-01

Punishment of non-cooperators—free riders—can lead to high cooperation in public goods games (PGG). However, second-order free riders, who do not pay punishment costs, reduce the effectiveness of punishment. Here we introduce a “leader support system,” in which one group leader can freely punish group followers using capital pooled through the support of group followers. In our experiment, participants engage in three stages repeatedly: a PGG stage in which followers decide to cooperate for their group; a support stage in which followers decide whether to support the leader; and a punishment stage in which the leader can punish any follower. We compare a support-present condition with a no-support condition, in which there is an external source for the leader’s punishment. The results show that punishment occurs more frequently in the support-present condition than the no-support condition. Within the former, both higher cooperation and higher support for a leader are achieved under linkage-type leaders—who punish both non-cooperators and non-supporters. In addition, linkage-type leaders themselves earn higher profits than other leader types because they withdraw more support. This means that leaders who effectively punish followers could increase their own benefits and the second-order free rider problem would be solved. PMID:27934871

Cooperation enhanced by habitat destruction in Prisoner's Dilemma Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiqing; Wang, Wanxiong; Zhang, Feng; Qiao, Hongqiang

2017-11-01

The emergence and maintenance of cooperation is a fundamental problem within groups of selfish individuals, whereby we introduce a model of replicator equations based on the Prisoner's Dilemma game. In the present work, the effect of habitat destruction on the evolution of cooperation will be taken into account. Our results show that cooperators can receive the biggest boost for a moderate value of habitat destruction, and more serious habitat destruction will lead to lower levels of cooperation until zero. Moreover, we also reach the conclusion that the cooperation level decreases monotonously with the increasing of the ratio of cooperative cost to benefit but increases monotonously with the increasing of the encounter probability. Our findings can help to further understand the evolution of cooperation under the harsh external environment.

An adaptive SVSF-SLAM algorithm to improve the success and solving the UGVs cooperation problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demim, Fethi; Nemra, Abdelkrim; Louadj, Kahina; Hamerlain, Mustapha; Bazoula, Abdelouahab

2018-05-01

This paper aims to present a Decentralised Cooperative Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (DCSLAM) solution based on 2D laser data using an Adaptive Covariance Intersection (ACI). The ACI-DCSLAM algorithm will be validated on a swarm of Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) receiving features to estimate the position and covariance of shared features before adding them to the global map. With the proposed solution, a group of (UGVs) will be able to construct a large reliable map and localise themselves within this map without any user intervention. The most popular solutions to this problem are the EKF-SLAM, Nonlinear H-infinity ? SLAM and the FAST-SLAM. The former suffers from two important problems which are the poor consistency caused by the linearization problem and the calculation of Jacobian. The second solution is the ? which is a very promising filter because it doesn't make any assumption about noise characteristics, while the latter is not suitable for real time implementation. Therefore, a new alternative solution based on the smooth variable structure filter (SVSF) is adopted. Cooperative adaptive SVSF-SLAM algorithm is proposed in this paper to solve the UGVs SLAM problem. Our main contribution consists in adapting the SVSF filter to solve the Decentralised Cooperative SLAM problem for multiple UGVs. The algorithms developed in this paper were implemented using two mobile robots Pioneer ?, equiped with 2D laser telemetry sensors. Good results are obtained by the Cooperative adaptive SVSF-SLAM algorithm compared to the Cooperative EKF/?-SLAM algorithms, especially when the noise is colored or affected by a variable bias. Simulation results confirm and show the efficiency of the proposed algorithm which is more robust, stable and adapted to real time applications.

SPECIAL PROBLEMS PRESENTED BY SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF OFFENDERS, MINORITY GROUPS, FEMALES, LOW-INCOME GROUPS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CUNNINGHAM, GLORIA

THE IDEA OF A "BORN CRIMINAL" OR A CLASS OF CRIMINALS IS ERRONEOUS. SOME CITIZENS MAINTAIN THIS ATTITUDE AND THEREFORE LACK COMMUNITY CONCERN OR INVOLVEMENT, THEREBY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF RESOURCES AND COOPERATING COMMUNITY UNITS THAT A PROBATION OFFICER CAN DRAW ON. ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH RESOURCES IS THAT, EVEN WHERE THEY DO EXIST, THEY…

Reputation drives cooperative behaviour and network formation in human groups.

PubMed

Cuesta, Jose A; Gracia-Lázaro, Carlos; Ferrer, Alfredo; Moreno, Yamir; Sánchez, Angel

2015-01-19

Cooperativeness is a defining feature of human nature. Theoreticians have suggested several mechanisms to explain this ubiquitous phenomenon, including reciprocity, reputation, and punishment, but the problem is still unsolved. Here we show, through experiments conducted with groups of people playing an iterated Prisoner's Dilemma on a dynamic network, that it is reputation what really fosters cooperation. While this mechanism has already been observed in unstructured populations, we find that it acts equally when interactions are given by a network that players can reconfigure dynamically. Furthermore, our observations reveal that memory also drives the network formation process, and cooperators assort more, with longer link lifetimes, the longer the past actions record. Our analysis demonstrates, for the first time, that reputation can be very well quantified as a weighted mean of the fractions of past cooperative acts and the last action performed. This finding has potential applications in collaborative systems and e-commerce.

Reputation drives cooperative behaviour and network formation in human groups

PubMed Central

Cuesta, Jose A.; Gracia-Lázaro, Carlos; Ferrer, Alfredo; Moreno, Yamir; Sánchez, Angel

2015-01-01

Cooperativeness is a defining feature of human nature. Theoreticians have suggested several mechanisms to explain this ubiquitous phenomenon, including reciprocity, reputation, and punishment, but the problem is still unsolved. Here we show, through experiments conducted with groups of people playing an iterated Prisoner's Dilemma on a dynamic network, that it is reputation what really fosters cooperation. While this mechanism has already been observed in unstructured populations, we find that it acts equally when interactions are given by a network that players can reconfigure dynamically. Furthermore, our observations reveal that memory also drives the network formation process, and cooperators assort more, with longer link lifetimes, the longer the past actions record. Our analysis demonstrates, for the first time, that reputation can be very well quantified as a weighted mean of the fractions of past cooperative acts and the last action performed. This finding has potential applications in collaborative systems and e-commerce. PMID:25598347

Learning by Understanding: The Role of Multiple Representations in Learning Algebra.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brenner, Mary E.; Mayer, Richard E.; Moseley, Bryan; Brar, Theresa; Duran, Richard; Reed, Barbara Smith; Webb, David

1997-01-01

In posttest results, 76 prealgebra students who learned about functions in a unit emphasizing multiple formats, anchoring learning in a thematic context, and problem solving in cooperative groups were more successful at problem solving and problem representation than were 56 comparison students conventionally taught. Similar results were found for…

The Effect of Cooperative Learning on the Learning Approaches of Students with Different Learning Styles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çolak, Esma

2015-01-01

Problem Statement: For this study, a cooperative learning process was designed in which students with different learning styles could help each other in heterogeneous groups to perform teamwork-based activities. One aspect deemed important in this context was whether the instructional environment designed to reach students with different learning…

When punishment pays.

PubMed

Roberts, Gilbert

2013-01-01

Explaining cooperation in groups remains a key problem because reciprocity breaks down between more than two. Punishing individuals who contribute little provides a potential answer but changes the dilemma to why pay the costs of punishing which, like cooperation itself, provides a public good. Nevertheless, people are observed to punish others in behavioural economic games, posing a problem for existing theory which highlights the difficulty in explaining the spread and persistence of punishment. Here, I consider the apparent mismatch between theory and evidence and show by means of instructive analysis and simulation how much of the experimental evidence for punishment comes from scenarios in which punishers may expect to obtain a net benefit from punishing free-riders. In repeated games within groups, punishment works by imposing costs on defectors so that it pays them to switch to cooperating. Both punishers and non-punishers then benefit from the resulting increase in cooperation, hence investing in punishment can constitute a social dilemma. However, I show the conditions in which the benefits of increased cooperation are so great that they more than offset the costs of punishing, thereby removing the temptation to free-ride on others' investments and making punishment explicable in terms of direct self-interest. Crucially, this is because of the leveraging effect imposed in typical studies whereby people can pay a small cost to inflict a heavy loss on a punished individual. In contrast to previous models suggesting punishment is disadvantaged when rare, I show it can invade until it comes into a producer-scrounger equilibrium with non-punishers. I conclude that adding punishment to an iterated public goods game can solve the problem of achieving cooperation by removing the social dilemma.

When Punishment Pays

PubMed Central

Roberts, Gilbert

2013-01-01

Explaining cooperation in groups remains a key problem because reciprocity breaks down between more than two. Punishing individuals who contribute little provides a potential answer but changes the dilemma to why pay the costs of punishing which, like cooperation itself, provides a public good. Nevertheless, people are observed to punish others in behavioural economic games, posing a problem for existing theory which highlights the difficulty in explaining the spread and persistence of punishment. Here, I consider the apparent mismatch between theory and evidence and show by means of instructive analysis and simulation how much of the experimental evidence for punishment comes from scenarios in which punishers may expect to obtain a net benefit from punishing free-riders. In repeated games within groups, punishment works by imposing costs on defectors so that it pays them to switch to cooperating. Both punishers and non-punishers then benefit from the resulting increase in cooperation, hence investing in punishment can constitute a social dilemma. However, I show the conditions in which the benefits of increased cooperation are so great that they more than offset the costs of punishing, thereby removing the temptation to free-ride on others' investments and making punishment explicable in terms of direct self-interest. Crucially, this is because of the leveraging effect imposed in typical studies whereby people can pay a small cost to inflict a heavy loss on a punished individual. In contrast to previous models suggesting punishment is disadvantaged when rare, I show it can invade until it comes into a producer-scrounger equilibrium with non-punishers. I conclude that adding punishment to an iterated public goods game can solve the problem of achieving cooperation by removing the social dilemma. PMID:23483907

[Deficiencies and barriers of the cooperation between German general practitioners and occupational health physicians? A qualitative content analysis of focus groups].

PubMed

Moßhammer, Dirk; Natanzon, Iris; Manske, Ira; Grutschkowski, Philipp; Rieger, Monika A

2012-01-01

Given the high prevalence of work-associated health problems and the significance of work-related stress factors, cooperation between general practitioners (GPs) and occupational health physicians (OPs) is of particular interest to the healthcare system. Both groups of physicians have an important role to play in supporting prevention, rehabilitation and workplace reintegration. In Germany, however, cooperation between GPs and OPs is often lacking or suboptimal. In our study, we assessed relevant deficiencies in and barriers to this cooperation. Three focus groups were interviewed: GPs, OPs, and medical doctors working in both fields. Data were analysed according to the qualitative content analysis method of P. Mayring. Deficiencies such as lack of communication (e.g., opportunity to make phone calls), insufficient cooperation in regard to sick-leave and professional reintegration, lack of knowledge about the specialty and influence of OPs as well as about patients' working conditions in general. Barriers: Prejudices, competition, mistrust, fear of negative consequences for the patients, lack of legal regulations, or limited accessibility. Similar deficiencies and barriers were mentioned in all three focus groups. The data are helpful in understanding the interface between GPs and OPs in Germany to provide an informative basis for the development of quantitative research instruments for further analysis to improve cooperation. This is the basis for additional cooperation projects. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Evolution of All-or-None Strategies in Repeated Public Goods Dilemmas

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Many problems of cooperation involve repeated interactions among the same groups of individuals. When collective action is at stake, groups often engage in Public Goods Games (PGG), where individuals contribute (or not) to a common pool, subsequently sharing the resources. Such scenarios of repeated group interactions materialize situations in which direct reciprocation to groups may be at work. Here we study direct group reciprocity considering the complete set of reactive strategies, where individuals behave conditionally on what they observed in the previous round. We study both analytically and by computer simulations the evolutionary dynamics encompassing this extensive strategy space, witnessing the emergence of a surprisingly simple strategy that we call All-Or-None (AoN). AoN consists in cooperating only after a round of unanimous group behavior (cooperation or defection), and proves robust in the presence of errors, thus fostering cooperation in a wide range of group sizes. The principles encapsulated in this strategy share a level of complexity reminiscent of that found already in 2-person games under direct and indirect reciprocity, reducing, in fact, to the well-known Win-Stay-Lose-Shift strategy in the limit of the repeated 2-person Prisoner's Dilemma. PMID:25393661

Do we understand children's restlessness? Constructing ecologically valid understandings through reflexive cooperation

PubMed Central

Binder, Per-Einar; Stige, Brynjulf

2015-01-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most widely used children's mental health diagnosis today, but the validity of the diagnosis is controversial, for instance, because it might conceal relational and ecological dimensions of restlessness. We invited parents and professionals from one local community in western Norway to participate in cooperative group discussions on how to conceptualize and understand children's restlessness. We carried out a thematic and reflexive analysis of the cooperative group discussions on ADHD and children's restlessness, and present findings related to three ecological levels inspired by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model. At the level of the individual, restlessness was discussed as individual trait, as the expectation to be seen and heard, and as a result of traumatization. At the level of dyad, group or family, restlessness was discussed as a relational phenomenon and as parents' problems. At the level of community, restlessness was discussed as lack of cooperation and lack of structures or resources. Our findings show how contextualized and cooperative reflexivity can contribute to more valid understandings of children's restlessness, and how cooperative inquiry can stimulate reflections about solidarity and sustainability in relation to adult's actions. PMID:26701898

Protein-Sequencing Jigsaw

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis-McGibony, C. Michele

2010-01-01

The jigsaw technique has been used in a fourth-year biochemistry course to increase problem-solving abilities of the students. The jigsaw method is a cooperative-learning technique that involves a group structure. Students start with a "home" group. That group is responsible for learning an assigned portion of a task. Then the instructor separates…

Comparing Productive Online Dialogue in Two Group Styles: Cooperative and Collaborative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Mary Annette

2004-01-01

This study examined the influence of group structures upon six groups of distributed graduate students as they pursued a six-week problem-based learning activity by communicating in an asynchronous computer conference. Henri and Rigault's (1996) content analysis framework and Howell-Richardson and Mellar's (1996) guidelines for interconnectedness…

Partnerships: Developing Teamwork at the Computer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Mary A.

This manual on developing teamwork at the computer provides cooperative learning activities for grades K-10 which promote the development of academic, computer, and social skills. The manual is divided into three sections: (1) "Getting To Know Each Other"; (2) "Group Cohesion"; and (3) "Group Problem Solving." The first group includes 10…

Weeds gone wild: a web-based public information project

Treesearch

Jil M. Swearingen

2003-01-01

The Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group (APWG) was formed in August 1995 in order to address the problem of invasive exotic plants on a national level, to produce educational materials, and to forge cooperation with local and regional groups.

Program for Peer Relationship Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salzberg, Bernard; Smith, Nancy E.

Children, aged 10-12, were referred to an outpatient mental health center because of behavior problems, some involving social skill deficits, others not so involved. Children acknowledging a social skill problem, and a desire to do something about it, were chosen pending parent approval and cooperation. Prior to participation in the group,…

Leadership for Learning: An Action Theory of School Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Tony

2001-01-01

Common factors contributing to teachers' resistance include risk aversion, craft expertise, and autonomy and isolation. Leaders' problem is to create ownership, not buy-in. Principals cannot make change alone or by edict, but must nurture engagement and commitment and motivate groups to learn and solve problems cooperatively. (MLH)

The Influence of Cooperative Problem Solving on Gender Differences in Achievement, Self-Efficacy, and Attitudes toward Mathematics in Gifted Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garduno, Edna Leticia Hernandez

2001-01-01

Examination of gender differences in self-efficacy, attitudes toward mathematics, and achievement of 48 gifted 7th and 8th grade students after participating in a 2-week course on probability and statistics found no differences in achievement or self-efficacy between cooperative learning mixed gender or single gender groups. Differences in…

The Effects of the "Groups of Four" Program on Student Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Lizbeth Champagne

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the "Groups of Four" program, examining the impact of the cooperative learning strategy on students' achievement in mathematical problem solving. Effects of three specific independent variables in the program were examined in terms of gender, group assignment, and ability,…

Influence of network topology on cooperative problem-solving systems.

PubMed

Fontanari, José F; Rodrigues, Francisco A

2016-09-01

The idea of a collective intelligence behind the complex natural structures built by organisms suggests that the organization of social networks is selected so as to optimize problem-solving competence at the group level. Here we study the influence of the social network topology on the performance of a group of agents whose task is to locate the global maxima of NK fitness landscapes. Agents cooperate by broadcasting messages informing on their fitness and use this information to imitate the fittest agent in their influence networks. In the case those messages convey accurate information on the proximity of the solution (i.e., for smooth fitness landscapes), we find that high connectivity as well as centralization boosts the group performance. For rugged landscapes, however, these characteristics are beneficial for small groups only. For large groups, it is advantageous to slow down the information transmission through the network to avoid local maximum traps. Long-range links and modularity have marginal effects on the performance of the group, except for a very narrow region of the model parameters.

Cooperation, Norms, and Revolutions: A Unified Game-Theoretical Approach

PubMed Central

Helbing, Dirk; Johansson, Anders

2010-01-01

Background Cooperation is of utmost importance to society as a whole, but is often challenged by individual self-interests. While game theory has studied this problem extensively, there is little work on interactions within and across groups with different preferences or beliefs. Yet, people from different social or cultural backgrounds often meet and interact. This can yield conflict, since behavior that is considered cooperative by one population might be perceived as non-cooperative from the viewpoint of another. Methodology and Principal Findings To understand the dynamics and outcome of the competitive interactions within and between groups, we study game-dynamical replicator equations for multiple populations with incompatible interests and different power (be this due to different population sizes, material resources, social capital, or other factors). These equations allow us to address various important questions: For example, can cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma be promoted, when two interacting groups have different preferences? Under what conditions can costly punishment, or other mechanisms, foster the evolution of norms? When does cooperation fail, leading to antagonistic behavior, conflict, or even revolutions? And what incentives are needed to reach peaceful agreements between groups with conflicting interests? Conclusions and Significance Our detailed quantitative analysis reveals a large variety of interesting results, which are relevant for society, law and economics, and have implications for the evolution of language and culture as well. PMID:20967256

Survival at Isle Royale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballone, Lena M.

2001-01-01

Describes a simulation based on the popular television show "Survivor" in which students work in groups and study physiological needs for human survival. Focuses on communication skills, problem solving, and cooperative learning. (YDS)

How Do I Get My Students to Work Together? Getting Cooperative Learning Started

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamby Towns, Marcy

1998-01-01

The American Chemical Society Committee on Professional Training presented in their Spring 1996 newsletter the results of an industrial roundtable which was convened to address what industry looks for in new hires. Roundtable participants voiced broad agreement that in addition to technical skills, one of the key experiences industry seeks in new hires is team problem solving. Cooperative learning activities improve team problem solving skills and promote the development of interpersonal skills and communication skills through face-to-face interactions. Cooperative learning is not simply putting students into groups and telling them to work together. Cooperative learning requires preparation on the part of the students and the instructor. This article discusses how to implement cooperative learning through a series of activities which allow the students to get to know each other. Students who build supportive committed relationships with each other become more committed to the course, more committed to each other, and more willing to take on tough tasks because they expect to succeed. In essence, they form a coherent learning community.

Institutionalize Reciprocity to Overcome the Public Goods Provision Problem

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Cooperation is fundamental to human societies, and one of the important paths for its emergence and maintenance is reciprocity. In prisoner’s dilemma (PD) experiments, reciprocal strategies are often effective at attaining and maintaining high cooperation. In many public goods (PG) games or n-person PD experiments, however, reciprocal strategies are not successful at engendering cooperation. In the present paper, we attribute this difficulty to a coordination problem against free riding among reciprocators: Because it is difficult for the reciprocators to coordinate their behaviors against free riders, this may lead to inequality among players, which will demotivate them from cooperating in future rounds. We propose a new mechanism, institutionalized reciprocity (IR), which refers to embedding the reciprocal strategy as an institution (i.e., institutionalizing the reciprocal strategy). We experimentally demonstrate that IR can prevent groups of reciprocators from falling into coordination failure and achieve high cooperation in PG games. In conclusion, we argue that a natural extension of the present study will be to investigate the possibility of IR to serve as a collective punishment system. PMID:27248493

Volunteering as Red Queen Mechanism for Cooperation in Public Goods Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauert, Christoph; De Monte, Silvia; Hofbauer, Josef; Sigmund, Karl

2002-05-01

The evolution of cooperation among nonrelated individuals is one of the fundamental problems in biology and social sciences. Reciprocal altruism fails to provide a solution if interactions are not repeated often enough or groups are too large. Punishment and reward can be very effective but require that defectors can be traced and identified. Here we present a simple but effective mechanism operating under full anonymity. Optional participation can foil exploiters and overcome the social dilemma. In voluntary public goods interactions, cooperators and defectors will coexist. We show that this result holds under very diverse assumptions on population structure and adaptation mechanisms, leading usually not to an equilibrium but to an unending cycle of adjustments (a Red Queen type of evolution). Thus, voluntary participation offers an escape hatch out of some social traps. Cooperation can subsist in sizable groups even if interactions are not repeated, defectors remain anonymous, players have no memory, and assortment is purely random.

Democracy under uncertainty: the wisdom of crowds and the free-rider problem in group decision making.

PubMed

Kameda, Tatsuya; Tsukasaki, Takafumi; Hastie, Reid; Berg, Nathan

2011-01-01

We introduce a game theory model of individual decisions to cooperate by contributing personal resources to group decisions versus by free riding on the contributions of other members. In contrast to most public-goods games that assume group returns are linear in individual contributions, the present model assumes decreasing marginal group production as a function of aggregate individual contributions. This diminishing marginal returns assumption is more realistic and generates starkly different predictions compared to the linear model. One important implication is that, under most conditions, there exist equilibria where some, but not all, members of a group contribute, even with completely self-interested motives. An agent-based simulation confirmed the individual and group advantages of the equilibria in which behavioral asymmetry emerges from a game structure that is a priori perfectly symmetric for all agents (all agents have the same payoff function and action space but take different actions in equilibria). A behavioral experiment demonstrated that cooperators and free riders coexist in a stable manner in groups performing with the nonlinear production function. A collateral result demonstrated that, compared to a dictatorial decision scheme guided by the best member in a group, the majority/plurality decision rules can pool information effectively and produce greater individual net welfare at equilibrium, even if free riding is not sanctioned. This is an original proof that cooperation in ad hoc decision-making groups can be understood in terms of self-interested motivations and that, despite the free-rider problem, majority/plurality decision rules can function robustly as simple, efficient social decision heuristics.

Parochial trust and cooperation across 17 societies

PubMed Central

Romano, Angelo; Balliet, Daniel; Liu, James H.

2017-01-01

International challenges such as climate change, poverty, and intergroup conflict require countries to cooperate to solve these complex problems. However, the political tide in many countries has shifted inward, with skepticism and reluctance to cooperate with other countries. Thus, cross-societal investigations are needed to test theory about trust and cooperation within and between groups. We conducted an experimental study in 17 countries designed to test several theories that explain why, who, and where people trust and cooperate more with ingroup members, compared with outgroup members. The experiment involved several interactions in the trust game, either as a trustor or trustee. We manipulated partner group membership in the trust game (ingroup, outgroup, or unknown) and if their reputation was at stake during the interaction. In addition to the standard finding that participants trust and cooperate more with ingroup than outgroup members, we obtained findings that reputational concerns play a decisive role for promoting trust and cooperation universally across societies. Furthermore, men discriminated more in favor of their ingroup than women. Individual differences in cooperative preferences, as measured by social value orientation, predicted cooperation with both ingroup and outgroup members. Finally, we did not find support for three theories about the cross-societal conditions that influence the degree of ingroup favoritism observed across societies (e.g., material security, religiosity, and pathogen stress). We discuss the implications for promoting cooperation within and between countries. PMID:29133403

Preschoolers' Cooperative Problem Solving: Integrating Play and Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramani, Geetha B.; Brownell, Celia A.

2014-01-01

Cooperative problem solving with peers plays a central role in promoting children's cognitive and social development. This article reviews research on cooperative problem solving among preschool-age children in experimental settings and social play contexts. Studies suggest that cooperative interactions with peers in experimental settings are…

Globalization and human cooperation

PubMed Central

Buchan, Nancy R.; Grimalda, Gianluca; Wilson, Rick; Brewer, Marilynn; Fatas, Enrique; Foddy, Margaret

2009-01-01

Globalization magnifies the problems that affect all people and that require large-scale human cooperation, for example, the overharvesting of natural resources and human-induced global warming. However, what does globalization imply for the cooperation needed to address such global social dilemmas? Two competing hypotheses are offered. One hypothesis is that globalization prompts reactionary movements that reinforce parochial distinctions among people. Large-scale cooperation then focuses on favoring one's own ethnic, racial, or language group. The alternative hypothesis suggests that globalization strengthens cosmopolitan attitudes by weakening the relevance of ethnicity, locality, or nationhood as sources of identification. In essence, globalization, the increasing interconnectedness of people worldwide, broadens the group boundaries within which individuals perceive they belong. We test these hypotheses by measuring globalization at both the country and individual levels and analyzing the relationship between globalization and individual cooperation with distal others in multilevel sequential cooperation experiments in which players can contribute to individual, local, and/or global accounts. Our samples were drawn from the general populations of the United States, Italy, Russia, Argentina, South Africa, and Iran. We find that as country and individual levels of globalization increase, so too does individual cooperation at the global level vis-à-vis the local level. In essence, “globalized” individuals draw broader group boundaries than others, eschewing parochial motivations in favor of cosmopolitan ones. Globalization may thus be fundamental in shaping contemporary large-scale cooperation and may be a positive force toward the provision of global public goods. PMID:19255433

Globalization and human cooperation.

PubMed

Buchan, Nancy R; Grimalda, Gianluca; Wilson, Rick; Brewer, Marilynn; Fatas, Enrique; Foddy, Margaret

2009-03-17

Globalization magnifies the problems that affect all people and that require large-scale human cooperation, for example, the overharvesting of natural resources and human-induced global warming. However, what does globalization imply for the cooperation needed to address such global social dilemmas? Two competing hypotheses are offered. One hypothesis is that globalization prompts reactionary movements that reinforce parochial distinctions among people. Large-scale cooperation then focuses on favoring one's own ethnic, racial, or language group. The alternative hypothesis suggests that globalization strengthens cosmopolitan attitudes by weakening the relevance of ethnicity, locality, or nationhood as sources of identification. In essence, globalization, the increasing interconnectedness of people worldwide, broadens the group boundaries within which individuals perceive they belong. We test these hypotheses by measuring globalization at both the country and individual levels and analyzing the relationship between globalization and individual cooperation with distal others in multilevel sequential cooperation experiments in which players can contribute to individual, local, and/or global accounts. Our samples were drawn from the general populations of the United States, Italy, Russia, Argentina, South Africa, and Iran. We find that as country and individual levels of globalization increase, so too does individual cooperation at the global level vis-à-vis the local level. In essence, "globalized" individuals draw broader group boundaries than others, eschewing parochial motivations in favor of cosmopolitan ones. Globalization may thus be fundamental in shaping contemporary large-scale cooperation and may be a positive force toward the provision of global public goods.

Group Composition and Its Effect on Female and Male Problem-Solving in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harskamp, Egbert; Ding, Ning; Suhre, Cor

2008-01-01

Background: Cooperative learning may help students elaborate upon problem information through interpersonal discourse, and this may provoke a higher level of thinking. Interaction stimulates students to put forward and order their thoughts, and to understand the ideas or questions of their peer learner. However, partner gender is an important…

Multi-Agent Cooperative Target Search

PubMed Central

Hu, Jinwen; Xie, Lihua; Xu, Jun; Xu, Zhao

2014-01-01

This paper addresses a vision-based cooperative search for multiple mobile ground targets by a group of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with limited sensing and communication capabilities. The airborne camera on each UAV has a limited field of view and its target discriminability varies as a function of altitude. First, by dividing the whole surveillance region into cells, a probability map can be formed for each UAV indicating the probability of target existence within each cell. Then, we propose a distributed probability map updating model which includes the fusion of measurement information, information sharing among neighboring agents, information decay and transmission due to environmental changes such as the target movement. Furthermore, we formulate the target search problem as a multi-agent cooperative coverage control problem by optimizing the collective coverage area and the detection performance. The proposed map updating model and the cooperative control scheme are distributed, i.e., assuming that each agent only communicates with its neighbors within its communication range. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms is illustrated by simulation. PMID:24865884

Democracy under Uncertainty: The Wisdom of Crowds and the Free-Rider Problem in Group Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kameda, Tatsuya; Tsukasaki, Takafumi; Hastie, Reid; Berg, Nathan

2011-01-01

We introduce a game theory model of individual decisions to cooperate by contributing personal resources to group decisions versus by free riding on the contributions of other members. In contrast to most public-goods games that assume group returns are linear in individual contributions, the present model assumes decreasing marginal group…

Collective induction without cooperation? Learning and knowledge transfer in cooperative groups and competitive auctions.

PubMed

Maciejovsky, Boris; Budescu, David V

2007-05-01

There is strong evidence that groups perform better than individuals do on intellective tasks with demonstrably correct solutions. Typically, these studies assume that group members share common goals. The authors extend this line of research by replacing standard face-to-face group interactions with competitive auctions, allowing for conflicting individual incentives. In a series of studies involving the well-known Wason selection task, they demonstrate that competitive auctions induce learning effects equally impressive as those of standard group interactions, and they uncover specific and general knowledge transfers from these institutions to new reasoning problems. The authors identify payoff feedback and information pooling as the driving factors underlying these findings, and they explain these factors within the theoretical framework of collective induction. ((c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

Parochial trust and cooperation across 17 societies.

PubMed

Romano, Angelo; Balliet, Daniel; Yamagishi, Toshio; Liu, James H

2017-11-28

International challenges such as climate change, poverty, and intergroup conflict require countries to cooperate to solve these complex problems. However, the political tide in many countries has shifted inward, with skepticism and reluctance to cooperate with other countries. Thus, cross-societal investigations are needed to test theory about trust and cooperation within and between groups. We conducted an experimental study in 17 countries designed to test several theories that explain why, who, and where people trust and cooperate more with ingroup members, compared with outgroup members. The experiment involved several interactions in the trust game, either as a trustor or trustee. We manipulated partner group membership in the trust game (ingroup, outgroup, or unknown) and if their reputation was at stake during the interaction. In addition to the standard finding that participants trust and cooperate more with ingroup than outgroup members, we obtained findings that reputational concerns play a decisive role for promoting trust and cooperation universally across societies. Furthermore, men discriminated more in favor of their ingroup than women. Individual differences in cooperative preferences, as measured by social value orientation, predicted cooperation with both ingroup and outgroup members. Finally, we did not find support for three theories about the cross-societal conditions that influence the degree of ingroup favoritism observed across societies (e.g., material security, religiosity, and pathogen stress). We discuss the implications for promoting cooperation within and between countries. Copyright © 2017 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Student Perceptions of Group-Based Competitive Exercises in the Chemistry Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannon, Kevin C.; Mody, Tina; Breen, Maureen P.

2008-01-01

A non-traditional teaching method that can operate as a vehicle for engaging students is group-based competitive exercises. These exercises combine cooperative learning with a competitive environment and may be employed to promote subject- and problem-based learning. Survey responses of college-level organic chemistry and biochemistry students…

Cooperative parallel adaptive neighbourhood search for the disjunctively constrained knapsack problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quan, Zhe; Wu, Lei

2017-09-01

This article investigates the use of parallel computing for solving the disjunctively constrained knapsack problem. The proposed parallel computing model can be viewed as a cooperative algorithm based on a multi-neighbourhood search. The cooperation system is composed of a team manager and a crowd of team members. The team members aim at applying their own search strategies to explore the solution space. The team manager collects the solutions from the members and shares the best one with them. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated on a group of benchmark data sets. The results obtained are compared to those reached by the best methods from the literature. The results show that the proposed method is able to provide the best solutions in most cases. In order to highlight the robustness of the proposed parallel computing model, a new set of large-scale instances is introduced. Encouraging results have been obtained.

TGT for chemistry learning to enhance students' achievement and critical thinking skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolhassan, Norlailatulakma; Taha, Hafsah

2017-05-01

The form of cooperative learning known as Teams-Games-Tournament (TGT) in this study favors the use of teams work and learning tools combined with student play and practice to foster students' achievement and critical thinking skills. Using this paradigm, this study incorporates Teams-Games-Tournament and Flash Cards Games Kit during an 8-weeks experimental instruction period that includes 67 Form Four students; 34 students in the experimental group and 33 in the control group. The learning design in experimental group emphasizes scaffolding, guided practices, cooperative learning, and active participation in learning. While the experimental group experienced the TGT approach, the control group encountered the conventional teaching approach of chemistry drills. An achievement chemistry test and Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) were used for the pretest and posttest. The finding indicates that TGT learning was more effective than drills in promoting chemistry performance, and the playful competiveness among students promotes students' critical thinking. In addition, TGT cooperative learning also creates an active learning environment in solving problems and discussions among students and teachers.

Variability in group size and the evolution of collective action.

PubMed

Peña, Jorge; Nöldeke, Georg

2016-01-21

Models of the evolution of collective action typically assume that interactions occur in groups of identical size. In contrast, social interactions between animals occur in groups of widely dispersed size. This paper models collective action problems as two-strategy multiplayer games and studies the effect of variability in group size on the evolution of cooperative behavior under the replicator dynamics. The analysis identifies elementary conditions on the payoff structure of the game implying that the evolution of cooperative behavior is promoted or inhibited when the group size experienced by a focal player is more or less variable. Similar but more stringent conditions are applicable when the confounding effect of size-biased sampling, which causes the group-size distribution experienced by a focal player to differ from the statistical distribution of group sizes, is taken into account. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contacts with out-of-hours primary care for nonurgent problems: patients' beliefs or deficiencies in healthcare?

PubMed

Keizer, Ellen; Smits, Marleen; Peters, Yvonne; Huibers, Linda; Giesen, Paul; Wensing, Michel

2015-10-28

In the Netherlands, about half of the patient contacts with a general practitioner (GP) cooperative are nonurgent from a medical perspective. A part of these problems can wait until office hours or can be managed by the patient himself without further professional care. However, from the patient's perspective, there may be a need to contact a physician immediately. Our objective was to determine whether contacts with out-of-hours primary care made by patients with nonurgent problems are the result of patients' beliefs or of deficiencies in the healthcare system. We performed a survey among 2000 patients with nonurgent health problems in four GP cooperatives in the Netherlands. Two GPs independently judged the medical necessity of the contacts of all patients in this study. We examined characteristics, views and motives of patients with medically necessary contacts and those without medically necessary contacts. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the characteristics, views and reasons of the patients with medically unnecessary contacts and medically necessary contacts. Differences between these groups were tested with chi-square tests. The response rate was 32.3 % (N = 646). Of the nonurgent contacts 30.4 % were judged as medically necessary (95 % CI 27.0-34.2). Compared to patients with nonurgent but medically necessary contacts, patients with medically unnecessary contacts were younger and were more often frequent attenders. They had longer-existing problems, lower self-assessed urgency, and more often believed GP cooperatives are intended for all help requests. Worry was the most frequently mentioned motive for contacting a GP cooperative for patients with a medically unnecessary contact (45.3 %) and a perceived need to see a GP for patients with a medically necessary contact (44.2 %). Perceived availability (5.8 %) and accessibility (8.3 %) of a patient's own GP played a role for some patients. Motives for contacting a GP cooperative are mostly patient-related, but also deficiencies in access to general practice may partly explain medically unnecessary use. Efforts to change the use of GP cooperatives should focus on education of subgroups with an increased likelihood of contact for medically unnecessary problems. Improvement of access to daytime primary care may also decrease use of the GP cooperative.

Collective strategy for obstacle navigation during cooperative transport by ants.

PubMed

McCreery, Helen F; Dix, Zachary A; Breed, Michael D; Nagpal, Radhika

2016-11-01

Group cohesion and consensus have primarily been studied in the context of discrete decisions, but some group tasks require making serial decisions that build on one another. We examine such collective problem solving by studying obstacle navigation during cooperative transport in ants. In cooperative transport, ants work together to move a large object back to their nest. We blocked cooperative transport groups of Paratrechina longicornis with obstacles of varying complexity, analyzing groups' trajectories to infer what kind of strategy the ants employed. Simple strategies require little information, but more challenging, robust strategies succeed with a wider range of obstacles. We found that transport groups use a stochastic strategy that leads to efficient navigation around simple obstacles, and still succeeds at difficult obstacles. While groups navigating obstacles preferentially move directly toward the nest, they change their behavior over time; the longer the ants are obstructed, the more likely they are to move away from the nest. This increases the chance of finding a path around the obstacle. Groups rapidly changed directions and rarely stalled during navigation, indicating that these ants maintain consensus even when the nest direction is blocked. Although some decisions were aided by the arrival of new ants, at many key points, direction changes were initiated within the group, with no apparent external cause. This ant species is highly effective at navigating complex environments, and implements a flexible strategy that works for both simple and more complex obstacles. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Exploring problem-based cooperative learning in undergraduate physics labs: student perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergin, S. D.; Murphy, C.; Shuilleabhain, A. Ni

2018-03-01

This study examines the potential of problem-based cooperative learning (PBCL) in expanding undergraduate physics students’ understanding of, and engagement with, the scientific process. Two groups of first-year physics students (n = 180) completed a questionnaire which compared their perceptions of learning science with their engagement in physics labs. One cohort completed a lab based on a PBCL approach, whilst the other completed the same experiment, using a more traditional, manual-based lab. Utilising a participant research approach, the questionnaire was co-constructed by researchers and student advisers from each cohort in order to improve shared meaning between researchers and participants. Analysis of students’ responses suggests that students in the PBCL cohort engaged more in higher-order problem-solving skills and evidenced a deeper understanding of the scientific process than students in the more traditional, manual-based cohort. However, the latter cohort responses placed more emphasis on accuracy and measurement in lab science than the PBCL cohort. The students in the PBCL cohort were also more positively engaged with their learning than their counterparts in the manual led group.

Group Work and Whole-Class Teaching with 11- to 14-Year-Olds Compared

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galton, Maurice; Hargreaves, Linda; Pell, Tony

2009-01-01

This article compares the academic performance and classroom behaviour of pupils when taught new concepts or engaged in problem solving in sessions organised either as cooperative group work or whole class, teacher directed instruction. Comparisons of attainment were made in classes of pupils aged 11 to 14 years (Key Stage 3) in English,…

Do cooperative learning and family involvement improve variables linked to academic performance?

PubMed

Santos Rego, Miguel A; Ferraces Otero, María J; Godas Otero, Agustín; Lorenzo Moledo, María M

2018-05-01

One of the most serious problems in the Spanish education system is the high percentage of school failure in Compulsory Secondary Education. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of a socio-educational program based on cooperative learning and family involvement on a series of variables related to academic performance, paying particular attention to the differences between retained and non-retained students. A two-group quasi-experimental design incorporating pre-testing and post-testing was used. The study involved 146 students in the experimental group and 123 in the control group, 8 teachers, and 89 parents or other family members. The program was observed to have a positive effect on self-image, study habits, satisfaction with the subject, maternal support and control, and opinions about the school. In addition, the results for non-retained students are better. Cooperative work and family involvement in education affect the variables which research links to improving school performance.

Research-oriented teaching in optical design course and its function in education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cen, Zhaofeng; Li, Xiaotong; Liu, Xiangdong; Deng, Shitao

2008-03-01

The principles and operation plans of research-oriented teaching in the course of computer aided optical design are presented, especially the mode of research in practice course. This program includes contract definition phase, project organization and execution, post project evaluation and discussion. Modes of academic organization are used in the practice course of computer aided optical design. In this course the students complete their design projects in research teams by autonomous group approach and cooperative exploration. In this research process they experience the interpersonal relationship in modern society, the importance of cooperation in team, the functions of each individual, the relationships between team members, the competition and cooperation in one academic group and with other groups, and know themselves objectively. In the design practice the knowledge of many academic fields is applied including applied optics, computer programming, engineering software and etc. The characteristic of interdisciplinary is very useful for academic research and makes the students be ready for innovation by integrating the knowledge of interdisciplinary field. As shown by the practice that this teaching mode has taken very important part in bringing up the abilities of engineering, cooperation, digesting the knowledge at a high level and problem analyzing and solving.

Cooperation makes two less-creative individuals turn into a highly-creative pair.

PubMed

Xue, Hua; Lu, Kelong; Hao, Ning

2018-05-15

This study aimed to investigate which type of group (e.g., consisting of less-creative or highly-creative individuals) would perform better in solving creativity problems, and explore the underlying inter-brain neural correlates between team members. A preliminary test (an alternative-uses task) was performed to rank individuals' level of creativity, and divide participants into three types of dyads: high-high (two highly-creative individuals), low-low (two less-creative individuals), and high-low (one highly-creative and one less-creative individual). Dyads were then asked to solve a realistic presented problem (RPP; a typical creativity problem) during which a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-based hyperscanning device was used to record the variation of interpersonal brain synchronization (IBS). Results revealed that less-creative individuals, while working together, would perform as well as highly-creative individuals. The low-low dyads showed higher levels of cooperation behaviour than the other two types of dyads. The fNIRS results revealed increased IBS only for low-low dyads at PFC (prefrontal cortex) and rTPJ (right temporal-parietal junction) brain regions during RPP task performance. In the rDLPFC (right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), the IBS in the low-low dyads was stronger than that of high-high and high-low dyads. In the rTPJ, the IBS in the low-low dyads was only stronger than that of the high-low dyads. Besides, the IBS at rDLPFC and rTPJ regions in the low-low dyads was positively correlated with their cooperation behaviour and group creative performance. These findings indicated when two less-creative individuals worked on a creativity problem together, they tended to cooperate with each other (indicated by both behaviour index and increased IBS at rDLPFC and rTPJ), which benefited their creative performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PLANNING AND COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING THE RUSSIAN SYSTEM OF CONTROL AND ACCOUNTING OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS AT ROSATOM FACILITIES IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE U.S.-RUSSIAN COOPERATION.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

SVIRIDOVA, V.V.; ERASTOV, V.V.; ISAEV, N.V.

2005-05-16

The MC&A Equipment and Methodological Support Strategic Plan (MEMS SP) for implementing modern MC&A equipment and methodologies at Rosatom facilities has been developed within the framework of the U.S.-Russian MPC&A Program. This plan developed by the Rosatom's Russian MC&A Equipment and Methodologies (MEM) Working Group and is coordinated by that group with support and coordination provided by the MC&A Measurements Project, Office of National Infrastructure and Sustainability, US DOE. Implementation of different tasks of the MEMS Strategic Plan is coordinated by Rosatom and US-DOE in cooperation with different U.S.-Russian MC&A-related working groups and joint site project teams. This cooperation allowsmore » to obtain and analyze information about problems, current needs and successes at Rosatom facilities and facilitates solution of the problems, satisfying the facilities' needs and effective exchange of expertise and lessons learned. The objective of the MEMS Strategic Plan is to enhance effectiveness of activities implementing modern equipment and methodologies in the Russian State MC&A system. These activities are conducted within the joint Russian-US MPC&A program aiming at reduction of possibility for theft or diversion of nuclear materials and enhancement of control of nuclear materials.« less

The temperament and character of korean male conscripts with military maladjustment-a preliminary study.

PubMed

Han, Kyoung-Ho; Lee, Sung-Bu

2013-06-01

Recently, an increasing number of Korean male conscripts have been retiring because of military maladjustment despite the presence of qualifying medical and psychological screening tests in the Korean army. These problems suggest the presence of a common personality problem. To further examine this possibility, the present study used Cloninger's psychobiological model to investigate the temperament and character of soldiers suffering from military maladjustment. Seventy-nine maladjusted male conscripts and eighty-seven controls enrolled at the 1596th unit from April 2011 to June 2012 participated in the present study. To measure participant personality, we used the Korean version of the Temperament and Character Inventory, Revised-Short. We used logistic regression analysis to examine the association between TCI-RS scores and risk of military maladjustment. The maladjustment group had a lower rank, socioeconomic status, education level, and a shorter duration of military service than the control group. The harm avoidance and self-transcendence scores were significantly higher in the maladjustment group, with lower scores for reward dependence, persistence, self-directedness, and cooperativeness scores. However, of these measures, only low cooperativeness was associated with an increased risk of military maladjustment. These results suggest that a low level of cooperativeness can predict military inadequacy. Maladjusted male conscripts may have different personality characteristics from normals. To validate our results, further follow-up or cohort studies with a larger sample will be required.

The Effects of Two Strategic and Meta-Cognitive Questioning Approaches on Children's Explanatory Behaviour, Problem-Solving, and Learning during Cooperative, Inquiry-Based Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillies, Robyn M.; Nichols, Kim; Burgh, Gilbert; Haynes, Michele

2012-01-01

Teaching students to ask and answer questions is critically important if they are to engage in reasoned argumentation, problem-solving, and learning. This study involved 35 groups of grade 6 children from 18 classrooms in three conditions (cognitive questioning condition, community of inquiry condition, and the comparison condition) who were…

How do Dutch GPs address work-related problems? A focus group study.

PubMed

de Kock, Cornelis A; Lucassen, Peter L B J; Spinnewijn, Laura; Knottnerus, J André; Buijs, Peter C; Steenbeek, Romy; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine L M

2016-09-01

In the Netherlands, there is a lack of knowledge about general practitioners' (GPs) perception of their role regarding patients' occupation and work related problems (WRP). As work and health are closely related, and patients expect help from their GPs in this area, a better understanding is needed of GPs' motivation to address WRP. To explore GPs' opinions on their role in the area of work and health. This is a qualitative study using three focus groups with Dutch GPs from the catchment area of a hospital in the Southeast of the Netherlands. The group was heterogeneous in characteristics such as sex, age, and practice setting. Three focus groups were convened with 18 GPs. The moderator used an interview guide. Two researchers analysed verbatim transcripts using constant comparative analysis. We distinguished three items: (a) work context in a GP's integrated consultation style; (b) counselling about sick leave; (c) cooperation with occupational physicians (OPs). The participants are willing to address the topic and counsel about sick leave. They consider WRP in patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) challenging. They tend to advise these patients to continue working as they think this will ultimately benefit them. The participating GPs seemed well aware of the relation between work and health but need more knowledge, communication skills and better cooperation with occupational physicians to manage work-related problems. [Box: see text].

Effects of a language program in the social functioning of children at elementary school.

PubMed

Stivanin, Luciene; Carnio, Maria Silvia

2017-10-23

the purpose of this study was to describe a language stimulation program, including teacher training and practical activities in the classroom, and investigate the effectiveness of this action on the social functioning and behavioral problems of elementary school children. 136 children from six classrooms of a public school and their teachers participated in this research. Of these, half were given the language stimulation program: 16 hours of training for teachers and 9 meetings in the classroom with activities for students. The activities involved instruction for the use of language reflection and practice with the narrative structure. Teachers filled out questionnaires about the social skills and behavior problems of their students before and after the program. there was no statistically significant difference between the research groups pre- and post- program in terms of assertiveness/ social resourcefulness (1st and 5th grades) and cooperation/affection (1st and 3rd grades). In the research groups, children of the 3rd grade, different from the 1st and the 5th grade, showed more evolution in their self-control abilities, which may be related to the lower frequency of externalizing problems in this group. the language program had positive effects on social assertiveness/resourcefulness skills and social cooperation/affection.

Impact of centrality on cooperative processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reia, Sandro M.; Herrmann, Sebastian; Fontanari, José F.

2017-02-01

The solution of today's complex problems requires the grouping of task forces whose members are usually connected remotely over long physical distances and different time zones. Hence, understanding the effects of imposed communication patterns (i.e., who can communicate with whom) on group performance is important. Here we use an agent-based model to explore the influence of the betweenness centrality of the nodes on the time the group requires to find the global maxima of NK-fitness landscapes. The agents cooperate by broadcasting messages, informing on their fitness to their neighbors, and use this information to copy the more successful agents in their neighborhood. We find that for easy tasks (smooth landscapes), the topology of the communication network has no effect on the performance of the group, and that the more central nodes are the most likely to find the global maximum first. For difficult tasks (rugged landscapes), however, we find a positive correlation between the variance of the betweenness among the network nodes and the group performance. For these tasks, the performances of individual nodes are strongly influenced by the agents' dispositions to cooperate and by the particular realizations of the rugged landscapes.

Library Networking: Current Problems and Future Prospects! Panel Discussion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Resource Sharing and Information Networks, 1983

1983-01-01

Presents questions and answers from information networking panel discussion involving symposium speakers Barbara Markuson (Indiana Cooperative Library Services Authority), Frank Grisham (Southeastern Library Network), Laima Mockus (New England Library Information Network), Richard McCoy (Research Libraries Group), Rowland Brown (OCLC), and Toni…

The shadow of the future promotes cooperation in a repeated prisoner’s dilemma for children

PubMed Central

Blake, Peter R.; Rand, David G.; Tingley, Dustin; Warneken, Felix

2015-01-01

Cooperation among genetically unrelated individuals can be supported by direct reciprocity. Theoretical models and experiments with adults show that the possibility of future interactions with the same partner can promote cooperation via conditionally cooperative strategies such as tit-for-tat (TFT). Here, we introduce a novel implementation of the repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma (PD) designed for children to examine whether repeated interactions can successfully promote cooperation in 10 and 11 year olds. We find that children cooperate substantially more in repeated PDs than in one-shot PDs. We also find that girls cooperate more than boys, and that children with more conduct problems cooperate less. Finally, we find that children use conditional cooperation strategies but that these strategies vary by gender and conduct problem rating. Specifically, girls and children with few conduct problems appear to follow an altruistic version of win-stay, lose-shift (WSLS), attempting to re-establish cooperation after they had defected. Boys and children with more conduct problems appear to follow a Grim strategy, defecting for the duration after the partner defects. Thus we provide evidence that children utilize the power of direct reciprocity to promote cooperation in strategic interactions and that, by late elementary school, distinct strategies of conditional cooperation have emerged. PMID:26417661

Typologies of Post-divorce Coparenting and Parental Well-Being, Parenting Quality and Children's Psychological Adjustment.

PubMed

Lamela, Diogo; Figueiredo, Bárbara; Bastos, Alice; Feinberg, Mark

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to identify post-divorce coparenting profiles and examine whether these profiles differentiate between levels of parents' well-being, parenting practices, and children's psychological problems. Cluster analysis was conducted with Portuguese heterosexual divorced parents (N = 314) to yield distinct post-divorce coparenting patterns. Clusters were based on parents' self-reported coparenting relationship assessed along four dimensions: agreement, exposure to conflict, undermining/support, and division of labor. A three cluster solution was found and replicated. Parents in the high-conflict coparenting group exhibited significantly lower life satisfaction, as well as significantly higher divorce-related negative affect and inconsistent parenting than parents in undermining and cooperative coparenting clusters. The cooperative coparenting group reported higher levels of positive family functioning and lower externalizing and internalizing problems in their children. These results suggested that a positive coparenting alliance may be a protective factor for individual and family outcomes after parental divorce.

Smart Training, Smart Learning: The Role of Cooperative Learning in Training for Youth Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doll, Carol A.

1997-01-01

Examines cooperative learning in youth services and adult education. Discusses characteristics of cooperative learning techniques; specific cooperative learning techniques (brainstorming, mini-lecture, roundtable technique, send-a-problem problem solving, talking chips technique, and three-step interview); and the role of the trainer. (AEF)

When is bigger better? The effects of group size on the evolution of helping behaviours.

PubMed

Powers, Simon T; Lehmann, Laurent

2017-05-01

Understanding the evolution of sociality in humans and other species requires understanding how selection on social behaviour varies with group size. However, the effects of group size are frequently obscured in the theoretical literature, which often makes assumptions that are at odds with empirical findings. In particular, mechanisms are suggested as supporting large-scale cooperation when they would in fact rapidly become ineffective with increasing group size. Here we review the literature on the evolution of helping behaviours (cooperation and altruism), and frame it using a simple synthetic model that allows us to delineate how the three main components of the selection pressure on helping must vary with increasing group size. The first component is the marginal benefit of helping to group members, which determines both direct fitness benefits to the actor and indirect fitness benefits to recipients. While this is often assumed to be independent of group size, marginal benefits are in practice likely to be maximal at intermediate group sizes for many types of collective action problems, and will eventually become very small in large groups due to the law of decreasing marginal returns. The second component is the response of social partners on the past play of an actor, which underlies conditional behaviour under repeated social interactions. We argue that under realistic conditions on the transmission of information in a population, this response on past play decreases rapidly with increasing group size so that reciprocity alone (whether direct, indirect, or generalised) cannot sustain cooperation in very large groups. The final component is the relatedness between actor and recipient, which, according to the rules of inheritance, again decreases rapidly with increasing group size. These results explain why helping behaviours in very large social groups are limited to cases where the number of reproducing individuals is small, as in social insects, or where there are social institutions that can promote (possibly through sanctioning) large-scale cooperation, as in human societies. Finally, we discuss how individually devised institutions can foster the transition from small-scale to large-scale cooperative groups in human evolution. © 2016 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Reconsidering the "Good Divorce"

PubMed

Amato, Paul R; Kane, Jennifer B; James, Spencer

2011-12-01

This study attempted to assess the notion that a "good divorce" protects children from the potential negative consequences of marital dissolution. A cluster analysis of data on postdivorce parenting from 944 families resulted in three groups: cooperative coparenting, parallel parenting, and single parenting. Children in the cooperative coparenting (good divorce) cluster had the smallest number of behavior problems and the closest ties to their fathers. Nevertheless, children in this cluster did not score significantly better than other children on 10 additional outcomes. These findings provide only modest support for the good divorce hypothesis.

Reconsidering the “Good Divorce”

PubMed Central

Amato, Paul R.; Kane, Jennifer B.; James, Spencer

2011-01-01

This study attempted to assess the notion that a “good divorce” protects children from the potential negative consequences of marital dissolution. A cluster analysis of data on postdivorce parenting from 944 families resulted in three groups: cooperative coparenting, parallel parenting, and single parenting. Children in the cooperative coparenting (good divorce) cluster had the smallest number of behavior problems and the closest ties to their fathers. Nevertheless, children in this cluster did not score significantly better than other children on 10 additional outcomes. These findings provide only modest support for the good divorce hypothesis. PMID:22125355

Evolution of global cooperation driven by risks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Jinming; Wu, Bin; Wang, Long

2012-05-01

Globalization facilitates our communication with each other, while it magnifies problems such as overharvesting of natural resources and human-induced climate change. Thus people all over the world are involved in a global social dilemma which calls for worldwide cooperation to reduce the risks of these extreme events and disasters. A collective target (threshold) is required to prevent such events. Everyone may lose their wealth once their total individual contributions fail to reach the threshold. To this end, we establish a model of threshold public goods games in a group-structured population and investigate its evolutionary process. We study multilevel public goods games with defectors, local cooperators, and global cooperators and are primarily concerned with how the global cooperative behavior evolves. We find that, compared with the standard public goods games, the strategy of global cooperation accounts for a bigger proportion in the stationary distribution of threshold public goods games. On the other hand, the fixation time of the global cooperation strategy is greatly shortened with increase of the probability of disaster striking. Therefore, global risks induced by the threshold can effectively promote global cooperation in environmental investment and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Temperament and Character of Korean Male Conscripts with Military Maladjustment-A Preliminary Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Sung-Bu

2013-01-01

Objective Recently, an increasing number of Korean male conscripts have been retiring because of military maladjustment despite the presence of qualifying medical and psychological screening tests in the Korean army. These problems suggest the presence of a common personality problem. To further examine this possibility, the present study used Cloninger's psychobiological model to investigate the temperament and character of soldiers suffering from military maladjustment. Methods Seventy-nine maladjusted male conscripts and eighty-seven controls enrolled at the 1596th unit from April 2011 to June 2012 participated in the present study. To measure participant personality, we used the Korean version of the Temperament and Character Inventory, Revised-Short. We used logistic regression analysis to examine the association between TCI-RS scores and risk of military maladjustment. Results The maladjustment group had a lower rank, socioeconomic status, education level, and a shorter duration of military service than the control group. The harm avoidance and self-transcendence scores were significantly higher in the maladjustment group, with lower scores for reward dependence, persistence, self-directedness, and cooperativeness scores. However, of these measures, only low cooperativeness was associated with an increased risk of military maladjustment. Conclusion These results suggest that a low level of cooperativeness can predict military inadequacy. Maladjusted male conscripts may have different personality characteristics from normals. To validate our results, further follow-up or cohort studies with a larger sample will be required. PMID:23798960

Teamwork Evaluation by Middle Grade Students in Inclusive Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strom, Paris S.; Thompson, MaryEllen; Strom, Robert D.

2013-01-01

Teamwork skills are considered essential in a work environment characterized by diversity and interdependence. Consequently, middle grade teachers arrange cooperative learning so students can acquire experience with solving problems in groups. Teachers also acknowledge that they are frustrated because appropriate instruments are lacking to track…

The Mexican American in Higher Education: Implications for Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muhs, William F.; And Others

1979-01-01

Literature reviews suggest that Mexican-American students place more emphasis on cooperation and group than on individual achievement. Education may be enhanced when teachers reinforce "successful behavior." Problems may arise using U.S.-based theories of "democratic" leadership styles because Mexican-American culture places emphasis on…

Creating Tesselations with Pavement Chalk: Implementing Best Practices in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furner, Joseph M.; Goodman, Barbara; Meeks, Shirley

2004-01-01

Implementing best practices like cooperative learning, using concrete manipulatives, problem solving, technology, active learning, multi-age grouping, and team teaching have shown benefits for students when learning mathematics concepts within the curriculum (Zemelman, Daniels & Hyde, 1998; NCTM, 2000). What started as a professional development…

Reciprocity, culture and human cooperation: previous insights and a new cross-cultural experiment

PubMed Central

Gächter, Simon; Herrmann, Benedikt

2008-01-01

Understanding the proximate and ultimate sources of human cooperation is a fundamental issue in all behavioural sciences. In this paper, we review the experimental evidence on how people solve cooperation problems. Existing studies show without doubt that direct and indirect reciprocity are important determinants of successful cooperation. We also discuss the insights from a large literature on the role of peer punishment in sustaining cooperation. The experiments demonstrate that many people are ‘strong reciprocators’ who are willing to cooperate and punish others even if there are no gains from future cooperation or any other reputational gains. We document this in new one-shot experiments, which we conducted in four cities in Russia and Switzerland. Our cross-cultural approach allows us furthermore to investigate how the cultural background influences strong reciprocity. Our results show that culture has a strong influence on positive and in especially strong negative reciprocity. In particular, we find large cross-cultural differences in ‘antisocial punishment’ of pro-social cooperators. Further cross-cultural research and experiments involving different socio-demographic groups document that the antisocial punishment is much more widespread than previously assumed. Understanding antisocial punishment is an important task for future research because antisocial punishment is a strong inhibitor of cooperation. PMID:19073476

Reciprocity, culture and human cooperation: previous insights and a new cross-cultural experiment.

PubMed

Gächter, Simon; Herrmann, Benedikt

2009-03-27

Understanding the proximate and ultimate sources of human cooperation is a fundamental issue in all behavioural sciences. In this paper, we review the experimental evidence on how people solve cooperation problems. Existing studies show without doubt that direct and indirect reciprocity are important determinants of successful cooperation. We also discuss the insights from a large literature on the role of peer punishment in sustaining cooperation. The experiments demonstrate that many people are 'strong reciprocators' who are willing to cooperate and punish others even if there are no gains from future cooperation or any other reputational gains. We document this in new one-shot experiments, which we conducted in four cities in Russia and Switzerland. Our cross-cultural approach allows us furthermore to investigate how the cultural background influences strong reciprocity. Our results show that culture has a strong influence on positive and in especially strong negative reciprocity. In particular, we find large cross-cultural differences in 'antisocial punishment' of pro-social cooperators. Further cross-cultural research and experiments involving different socio-demographic groups document that the antisocial punishment is much more widespread than previously assumed. Understanding antisocial punishment is an important task for future research because antisocial punishment is a strong inhibitor of cooperation.

Volunteering leads to rock-paper-scissors dynamics in a public goods game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semmann, Dirk; Krambeck, Hans-Jürgen; Milinski, Manfred

2003-09-01

Collective efforts are a trademark of both insect and human societies. They are achieved through relatedness in the former and unknown mechanisms in the latter. The problem of achieving cooperation among non-kin has been described as the `tragedy of the commons', prophesying the inescapable collapse of many human enterprises. In public goods experiments, initial cooperation usually drops quickly to almost zero. It can be maintained by the opportunity to punish defectors or the need to maintain good reputation. Both schemes require that defectors are identified. Theorists propose that a simple but effective mechanism operates under full anonymity. With optional participation in the public goods game, `loners' (players who do not join the group), defectors and cooperators will coexist through rock-paper-scissors dynamics. Here we show experimentally that volunteering generates these dynamics in public goods games and that manipulating initial conditions can produce each predicted direction. If, by manipulating displayed decisions, it is pretended that defectors have the highest frequency, loners soon become most frequent, as do cooperators after loners and defectors after cooperators. On average, cooperation is perpetuated at a substantial level.

Public goods with punishment and abstaining in finite and infinite populations

PubMed Central

Hauert, Christoph; Traulsen, Arne; Brandt, Hannelore; Nowak, Martin A.; Sigmund, Karl

2010-01-01

The evolution and maintenance of cooperation in human and animal societies challenges various disciplines ranging from evolutionary biology, to anthropology, social sciences and economics. In social interactions, cooperators increase the welfare of the group at some cost to themselves whereas defectors attempt to free-ride and neither provide benefits nor incur costs. The problem of cooperation becomes even more pronounced when increasing the number of interacting individuals. Punishment and voluntary participation have been identified as possible factors to support cooperation and prevent cheating. Typically, punishment behavior is unable to gain a foothold in a population, while volunteering alone can efficiently prevent deadlocks in states of mutual defection but is unable to stabilize cooperation. The combined effects of the two mechanisms have surprisingly different consequences in finite and infinite populations. Here we provide a detailed comparison of the two scenarios and demonstrate that driven by the inherent stochasticity of finite populations, the possibility to abstain from social interactions plays a pivotal role, which paves the way for the establishment of cooperation and punishment. PMID:20740068

Errors analysis of problem solving using the Newman stage after applying cooperative learning of TTW type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rr Chusnul, C.; Mardiyana, S., Dewi Retno

2017-12-01

Problem solving is the basis of mathematics learning. Problem solving teaches us to clarify an issue coherently in order to avoid misunderstanding information. Sometimes there may be mistakes in problem solving due to misunderstanding the issue, choosing a wrong concept or misapplied concept. The problem-solving test was carried out after students were given treatment on learning by using cooperative learning of TTW type. The purpose of this study was to elucidate student problem regarding to problem solving errors after learning by using cooperative learning of TTW type. Newman stages were used to identify problem solving errors in this study. The new research used a descriptive method to find out problem solving errors in students. The subject in this study were students of Vocational Senior High School (SMK) in 10th grade. Test and interview was conducted for data collection. Thus, the results of this study suggested problem solving errors in students after learning by using cooperative learning of TTW type for Newman stages.

Process evaluation of an interorganizational cooperation initiative in vocational rehabilitation: the Dirigo project.

PubMed

Ståhl, Christian; Andersén, Åsa; Anderzén, Ingrid; Larsson, Kjerstin

2017-05-11

This study analyzes the process of establishing and developing a cooperative vocational rehabilitation project with special focus on organizational and professional aspects. In the project, officials from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and the Swedish Public Employment Service worked cooperatively with participants on long-term sick leave, youths with disability benefits, and people receiving social allowances. The officials used Motivational Interviewing (MI) as a method when meeting participants, and were able to offer flexible and tailored case management. The goal was to improve work ability and promote self-sufficiency. The process evaluation was carried out through continuous data collection throughout the project (2012-2014), resulting in a total of 28 individual interviews and 17 focus groups with officials and managers. The material was categorized through an inductive content analysis, and analyzed using social capital as a theoretical frame. The evaluation points to how issues related to design, organization and management contributed to the project not reaching its goals, e.g. problems with recruitment of participants, the funding structure, and staffing problems on the managerial level. Still, officials reported positive effects of close cooperation, which was perceived as facilitating the case management by fostering a mutual understanding and access to resources and rehabilitation measures from more than one authority. Cooperative work combined with the use of MI and flexible case management seem to promote an increased trust between officials from different authorities and participants, which in the study is conceptualized as bonding and bridging social capital (between officials) and linking social capital (between officials and participants). The organizational problems combined with the relatively large differences in approaches between the project and regular practice obstructed implementation, where the authorities involved did not appear to be ready for implementing methodologies that require organizational restructuring.

Teaching Critical Thinking in Undergraduate Science Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hager, Paul; Sleet, Ray; Logan, Peter; Hooper, Mal

This paper reports on the design and evaluation of a project aimed at fostering the critical thinking abilities and dispositions of first year students at an Australian university. Novel paper and pencil problems were designed to foster the range of critical thinking abilities identified by Ennis (1991). Most of these critical thinking tasks relate to applications of chemistry and physics in everyday life. Some of the tasks were developed from information and/or ideas obtained from critical incident interviews with scientists in private and government organisations. The first year university students were required to attempt the tasks in co-operative groups and to interact in these groups in ways aimed at fostering the dispositions of Ennis' ideal critical thinker (Ennis 1996).The project was evaluated from discussions with groups of students, from comments of tutors who observed the students working in groups and from a questionnaire. Evidence obtained from these data indicated that many students considered their thinking skills were enhanced by their experience of attempting the tasks in small co-operative groups.

The Effect of Incentives and Meta-incentives on the Evolution of Cooperation.

PubMed

Okada, Isamu; Yamamoto, Hitoshi; Toriumi, Fujio; Sasaki, Tatsuya

2015-05-01

Although positive incentives for cooperators and/or negative incentives for free-riders in social dilemmas play an important role in maintaining cooperation, there is still the outstanding issue of who should pay the cost of incentives. The second-order free-rider problem, in which players who do not provide the incentives dominate in a game, is a well-known academic challenge. In order to meet this challenge, we devise and analyze a meta-incentive game that integrates positive incentives (rewards) and negative incentives (punishments) with second-order incentives, which are incentives for other players' incentives. The critical assumption of our model is that players who tend to provide incentives to other players for their cooperative or non-cooperative behavior also tend to provide incentives to their incentive behaviors. In this paper, we solve the replicator dynamics for a simple version of the game and analytically categorize the game types into four groups. We find that the second-order free-rider problem is completely resolved without any third-order or higher (meta) incentive under the assumption. To do so, a second-order costly incentive, which is given individually (peer-to-peer) after playing donation games, is needed. The paper concludes that (1) second-order incentives for first-order reward are necessary for cooperative regimes, (2) a system without first-order rewards cannot maintain a cooperative regime, (3) a system with first-order rewards and no incentives for rewards is the worst because it never reaches cooperation, and (4) a system with rewards for incentives is more likely to be a cooperative regime than a system with punishments for incentives when the cost-effect ratio of incentives is sufficiently large. This solution is general and strong in the sense that the game does not need any centralized institution or proactive system for incentives.

The Effect of Incentives and Meta-incentives on the Evolution of Cooperation

PubMed Central

Okada, Isamu; Yamamoto, Hitoshi; Toriumi, Fujio; Sasaki, Tatsuya

2015-01-01

Although positive incentives for cooperators and/or negative incentives for free-riders in social dilemmas play an important role in maintaining cooperation, there is still the outstanding issue of who should pay the cost of incentives. The second-order free-rider problem, in which players who do not provide the incentives dominate in a game, is a well-known academic challenge. In order to meet this challenge, we devise and analyze a meta-incentive game that integrates positive incentives (rewards) and negative incentives (punishments) with second-order incentives, which are incentives for other players’ incentives. The critical assumption of our model is that players who tend to provide incentives to other players for their cooperative or non-cooperative behavior also tend to provide incentives to their incentive behaviors. In this paper, we solve the replicator dynamics for a simple version of the game and analytically categorize the game types into four groups. We find that the second-order free-rider problem is completely resolved without any third-order or higher (meta) incentive under the assumption. To do so, a second-order costly incentive, which is given individually (peer-to-peer) after playing donation games, is needed. The paper concludes that (1) second-order incentives for first-order reward are necessary for cooperative regimes, (2) a system without first-order rewards cannot maintain a cooperative regime, (3) a system with first-order rewards and no incentives for rewards is the worst because it never reaches cooperation, and (4) a system with rewards for incentives is more likely to be a cooperative regime than a system with punishments for incentives when the cost-effect ratio of incentives is sufficiently large. This solution is general and strong in the sense that the game does not need any centralized institution or proactive system for incentives. PMID:25974684

The Evolution of Covert Signaling.

PubMed

Smaldino, Paul E; Flamson, Thomas J; McElreath, Richard

2018-03-20

Human sociality depends upon the benefits of mutual aid and extensive communication. However, diverse norms and preferences complicate mutual aid, and ambiguity in meaning hinders communication. Here we demonstrate that these two problems can work together to enhance cooperation through the strategic use of deliberately ambiguous signals: covert signaling. Covert signaling is the transmission of information that is accurately received by its intended audience but obscured when perceived by others. Such signals may allow coordination and enhanced cooperation while also avoiding the alienation or hostile reactions of individuals with different preferences. Although the empirical literature has identified potential mechanisms of covert signaling, such as encryption in humor, there is to date no formal theory of its dynamics. We introduce a novel mathematical model to assess when a covert signaling strategy will evolve, as well as how receiver attitudes coevolve with covert signals. Covert signaling plausibly serves an important function in facilitating within-group cooperative assortment by allowing individuals to pair up with similar group members when possible and to get along with dissimilar ones when necessary. This mechanism has broad implications for theories of signaling and cooperation, humor, social identity, political psychology, and the evolution of human cultural complexity.

Cooperation between mental health professionals and doctors in a Balint-oriented supervision group.

PubMed

Keinänen, M

2001-01-01

A Balint-oriented supervision group for physicians is described concentrating on the study of the patient-doctor relationship, the recognition and diagnosis of psychiatric problems, and the planning of psychiatric treatment. The group includes five general practitioners, a gynecologist, a dermatologist, a psychiatrist and a psychologist, who have met once a month for an hour over a period of 12 years. Interaction between the physicians and the mental health professionals is illustrated by two clinical examples. The group helps the physician recognize, tolerate and use his countertransference feelings, and facilitates the examination and treatment of patients suffering from psychiatric problems. In Balint-oriented group work, the focus can be moved from physical symptoms to include observation of the patient's emotional life and significant object relations, to the factors that are crucial for his psychological balance. This kind of holistic observation in the examination and treatment of psychiatric problems is as important as appropriate laboratory investigations in the diagnosis and care of physical diseases.

Problems and Countermeasures of Zhejiang High-Tech Enterprises Industry-University-Institute Cooperation in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Qing; Mao, Chong-Feng; Hou, Lin

Industry-university-institute cooperation is an important means to accelerate technical development and achievements for high-tech enterprises. Considering that Zhejiang high-tech enterprises existed some problems which included low cooperative level, single distribution, weak secondary R&D ability, obvious risk and so on, government should play an guiding role on improving information service system, enhancing cooperative level, promoting scientific intermediary service organization system construction, and building better environment for Industry-university-institute cooperation.

Computer Communications, Cooperation or Confusion; A Communications Conference at San Jose State College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Jose State Coll., CA.

The papers from a conference on computer communication networks are divided into five groups--trends, applications, problems and impairments, solutions and tools, impact on society and education. The impact of such developing technologies as cable television, the "wired nation," the telephone industry, and analog data storage is…

THE LONDON EXTERNAL DEGREE SYSTEM, ORIGINS AND PRESENT PROBLEMS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CHARNLEY, A.H.

FORMAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR BRITISH ADULTS PURSUING DEGREE COURSES BY HOME STUDY RESTS LARGELY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON. ALTHOUGH ABOUT 1,000 STUDENTS ARE BEING TAUGHT AT INSTITUTIONS COOPERATING WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, THE MAJOR GROUPS ARE THE HOME STUDENTS (OVER 20,000) AND THE OVERSEAS STUDENTS (OVER 4,000). BRITISH EXTERNAL STUDENTS…

Do Video Games Promote Positive Youth Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adachi, Paul J. C.; Willoughby, Teena

2013-01-01

We argue that video game play may meet Larson's (2000) criteria for fostering initiative in youth, and thus, may be related to positive outcomes such as flow, cooperation, problem solving, and reduced in-group bias. However, developmental and social psychologists examining adolescent video game use have focused heavily on how video games are…

Shouting at the Sky: Troubled Teens and the Promise of the Wild.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Gary

This book describes a wilderness therapy program for troubled youth. Teenagers struggling with drugs, abusive or neglectful families, depression, suicidal thoughts, or their own impulses to lie or steal spend months in the Utah desert learning to survive in the wilderness, cooperate in group activities and problem solving, communicate with other…

Uranium Reserves on Planet Zeus: A Unit on Imperialism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Mary A.

1988-01-01

Designed as a follow up unit on the study of imperialism, this lesson requires students to use their knowledge of imperialism to solve a problem that could arise in the future space frontier. Organized for small group participation, the lesson focuses on international cooperation. Includes all required resources and suggests appropriate additional…

Zwei Jahre Vorschulenglisch in Koeln (Two Years of Preschool English in Cologne)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoen, Eva-Maria

1977-01-01

Discusses types of "play-work" in the preschool group, typical difficulties, problems of space and time, desirable requisites with respect to the children, and cooperation with parents. Positive in tone, the report ends with recommendations to use every opportunity for foreign language learning in preschool. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Outcomes of Adventure Program Participation by Adolescents Involved in Psychiatric Treatment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witman, Jeffrey P.

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of adventure program participation upon adolescents in psychiatric treatment. All adventure programs included goal setting, awareness, cooperative and trust activities, and group and individual problem-solving. Participants' total hours of program participation ranged from 8-22 hours. A random…

Corporations and Interinstitutional Cooperation in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyes, Rod L.

The potential of higher education to affect business and the needs of employees is considered by a representative of General Motors Corporation. It is suggested that community colleges are one of the most responsive groups to the needs of business and its employees, although the quality and content of programs vary and financial problems hinder…

Modeling a polycentric approach to the problem of climate change. Comment on "Climate change governance, cooperation and self-organization" by Pacheco, Vasconcelos & Santos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milinski, Manfred

2014-12-01

Climate change is a global problem. Because of unlimited use of fossil energy and resulting greenhouse gas emissions the global temperature is rising causing floods, draughts and storms in all parts of the world with increasing frequency and strength. Dangerous climate change will occur with high probability after the global temperature has passed a certain threshold [1]. To avoid dangerous climate change global greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to a level of 50% or less of the year-2000 emissions by 2050 [2-4]. All people on earth take part in this global target public goods game, "a game that we cannot afford to loose" [5]. Simulating this scenario in a nutshell a collective risk social dilemma game has shown that a small group of subjects can achieve a collective goal by sequential individual contributions but only when the risk of loosing their not invested money is high, e.g. 90% [6]. Cooperation in public goods games usually decreases with increasing group size [7]. Thus, does this mean that the global game will be lost?

Dynamic Network Selection for Multicast Services in Wireless Cooperative Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Liang; Jin, Le; He, Feng; Cheng, Hanwen; Wu, Lenan

In next generation mobile multimedia communications, different wireless access networks are expected to cooperate. However, it is a challenging task to choose an optimal transmission path in this scenario. This paper focuses on the problem of selecting the optimal access network for multicast services in the cooperative mobile and broadcasting networks. An algorithm is proposed, which considers multiple decision factors and multiple optimization objectives. An analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method is applied to schedule the service queue and an artificial neural network (ANN) is used to improve the flexibility of the algorithm. Simulation results show that by applying the AHP method, a group of weight ratios can be obtained to improve the performance of multiple objectives. And ANN method is effective to adaptively adjust weight ratios when users' new waiting threshold is generated.

[Femicide Across Europe COST Action, a transnational cooperation network for the study of and approach to femicide in Europe].

PubMed

Sanz-Barbero, Belén; Otero-García, Laura; Boira, Santiago; Marcuello, Chaime; Vives Cases, Carmen

2016-01-01

Femicide or the murder of women because of their gender is a recognised public health problem as well as a serious violation of human rights. Its magnitude worldwide is still unknown, given the methodological difficulties to differentiate these murders from other female homicides. The European Union programme entitled «European Cooperation in Science and Technology» (COST) launched the «Femicide across Europe» COST Action in 2013, establishing an optimal European framework for transnational cooperation among experts addressing great social and public health challenges such as femicide. This field note describes the main objectives, the participating groups of experts and the mid-term results of this experience. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Conflict, sticks and carrots: war increases prosocial punishments and rewards.

PubMed

Gneezy, Ayelet; Fessler, Daniel M T

2012-01-22

Unlike most species, humans cooperate extensively with group members who are not closely related to them, a pattern sustained in part by punishing non-cooperators and rewarding cooperators. Because internally cooperative groups prevail over less cooperative rival groups, it is thought that violent intergroup conflict played a key role in the evolution of human cooperation. Consequently, it is plausible that propensities to punish and reward will be elevated during intergroup conflict. Using experiments conducted before, during and after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, we show that, during wartime, people are more willing to pay costs to punish non-cooperative group members and reward cooperative group members. Rather than simply increasing within-group solidarity, violent intergroup conflict thus elicits behaviours that, writ large, enhance cooperation within the group, thereby making victory more likely.

Using Jigsaw-Style Spectroscopy Problem-Solving to Elucidate Molecular Structure through Online Cooperative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winschel, Grace A.; Everett, Renata K.; Coppola, Brian P.; Shultz, Ginger V.

2015-01-01

Cooperative learning was employed as an instructional approach to facilitate student development of spectroscopy problem solving skills. An interactive online environment was used as a framework to structure weekly discussions around spectroscopy problems outside of class. Weekly discussions consisted of modified jigsaw-style problem solving…

Human cooperation by lethal group competition.

PubMed

Egas, Martijn; Kats, Ralph; van der Sar, Xander; Reuben, Ernesto; Sabelis, Maurice W

2013-01-01

Why humans are prone to cooperate puzzles biologists, psychologists and economists alike. Between-group conflict has been hypothesized to drive within-group cooperation. However, such conflicts did not have lasting effects in laboratory experiments, because they were about luxury goods, not needed for survival ("looting"). Here, we find within-group cooperation to last when between-group conflict is implemented as "all-out war" (eliminating the weakest groups). Human subjects invested in helping group members to avoid having the lowest collective pay-off, whereas they failed to cooperate in control treatments with random group elimination or with no subdivision in groups. When the game was repeated, experience was found to promote helping. Thus, not within-group interactions alone, not random group elimination, but pay-off-dependent group elimination was found to drive within-group cooperation in our experiment. We suggest that some forms of human cooperation are maintained by multi-level selection: reciprocity within groups and lethal competition among groups acting together.

Conflict, sticks and carrots: war increases prosocial punishments and rewards

PubMed Central

Gneezy, Ayelet; Fessler, Daniel M. T.

2012-01-01

Unlike most species, humans cooperate extensively with group members who are not closely related to them, a pattern sustained in part by punishing non-cooperators and rewarding cooperators. Because internally cooperative groups prevail over less cooperative rival groups, it is thought that violent intergroup conflict played a key role in the evolution of human cooperation. Consequently, it is plausible that propensities to punish and reward will be elevated during intergroup conflict. Using experiments conducted before, during and after the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah war, we show that, during wartime, people are more willing to pay costs to punish non-cooperative group members and reward cooperative group members. Rather than simply increasing within-group solidarity, violent intergroup conflict thus elicits behaviours that, writ large, enhance cooperation within the group, thereby making victory more likely. PMID:21653590

A hierarchical model of the evolution of cooperation in cultural systems.

PubMed

Savatsky, K; Reynolds, R G

1989-01-01

In this paper the following problem is addressed: "Under what conditions can a collection of individual organisms learn to cooperate when cooperation appears to outwardly degrade individual performance at the outset. In order to attempt a theoretical solution to this problem, data from a real world problem in anthropology is used. A distributed simulation model of this system was developed to assess its long term behavior using using an approach suggested by Zeigler (Zeigler, B.P., 1984, Multifaceted Modelling and Discrete Event Simulation (Academic Press, London)). The results of the simulation are used to show that although cooperation degrades the performance potential of each individual, it enhances the persistence of the individual's partial solution to the problem in certain situations."

The effect of introducing computers into an introductory physics problem-solving laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCullough, Laura Ellen

2000-10-01

Computers are appearing in every type of classroom across the country. Yet they often appear without benefit of studying their effects. The research that is available on computer use in classrooms has found mixed results, and often ignores the theoretical and instructional contexts of the computer in the classroom. The University of Minnesota's physics department employs a cooperative-group problem solving pedagogy, based on a cognitive apprenticeship instructional model, in its calculus-based introductory physics course. This study was designed to determine possible negative effects of introducing a computerized data-acquisition and analysis tool into this pedagogy as a problem-solving tool for students to use in laboratory. To determine the effects of the computer tool, two quasi-experimental treatment groups were selected. The computer-tool group (N = 170) used a tool, designed for this study (VideoTool), to collect and analyze motion data in the laboratory. The control group (N = 170) used traditional non-computer equipment (spark tapes and Polaroid(TM) film). The curriculum was kept as similar as possible for the two groups. During the ten week academic quarter, groups were examined for effects on performance on conceptual tests and grades, attitudes towards the laboratory and the laboratory tools, and behaviors within cooperative groups. Possible interactions with gender were also examined. Few differences were found between the control and computer-tool groups. The control group received slightly higher scores on one conceptual test, but this difference was not educationally significant. The computer-tool group had slightly more positive attitudes towards using the computer tool than their counterparts had towards the traditional tools. The computer-tool group also perceived that they spoke more frequently about physics misunderstandings, while the control group felt that they discussed equipment difficulties more often. This perceptual difference interacted with gender, with the men in the control group more likely to discuss equipment difficulties than any other group. Overall, the differences between the control and quasi-experimental groups were minimal. It was concluded that carefully replacing traditional data collection and analysis tools with a computer tool had no negative effects on achievement, attitude, group behavior, and did not interact with gender.

Who Cries Wolf, and When? Manipulation of Perceived Threats to Preserve Rank in Cooperative Groups

PubMed Central

Barclay, Pat; Benard, Stephen

2013-01-01

People perform greater within-group cooperation when their groups face external threats, such as hostile outgroups or natural disasters. Researchers and social commentators suggest that high-ranking group members manipulate this “threat-dependent” cooperation by exaggerating threats in order to promote cooperation and suppress competition for their position. However, little systematic research tests this claim or possible situational moderators. In three studies, we use a cooperative group game to show that participants pay to increase others’ perceptions of group threats, and spend more on manipulation when holding privileged positions. This manipulation cost-effectively elicits cooperation and sustains privilege, and is fostered by competition over position, not only position per se. Less cooperative people do more manipulation than more cooperative people do. Furthermore, these effects generalize to broader definitions of privilege. Conceptually, these results offer new insights into an understudied dimension of group behavior. Methodologically, the research extends cooperative group games to allow for analyzing more complex group dynamics. PMID:24069239

Transboundary environmental assessment: lessons from OTAG. The Ozone Transport Assessment Group.

PubMed

Farrell, Alexander E; Keating, Terry J

2002-06-15

The nature and role of assessments in creating policy for transboundary environmental problems is discussed. Transboundary environmental problems are particularly difficult to deal with because they typically require cooperation among independent political jurisdictions (e.g., states or nations) which face differing costs and benefits and which often have different technical capabilities and different interests. In particular, transboundary pollution issues generally involve the problem of an upstream source and a downstream receptor on opposite sides of a relevant political boundary, making it difficult for the jurisdiction containing the receptor to obtain relief from the pollution problem. The Ozone Transport Assessment Group (OTAG) addressed such a transboundary problem: the long-range transport of tropospheric ozone (i.e., photochemical smog) across the eastern United States. The evolution of the science and policy that led to OTAG, the OTAG process, and its outcomes are presented. Lessons that are available to be learned from the OTAG experience, particularly for addressing similar transboundary problems such as regional haze, are discussed.

Rewards and the evolution of cooperation in public good games.

PubMed

Sasaki, Tatsuya; Uchida, Satoshi

2014-01-01

Properly coordinating cooperation is relevant for resolving public good problems, such as clean energy and environmental protection. However, little is known about how individuals can coordinate themselves for a certain level of cooperation in large populations of strangers. In a typical situation, a consensus-building process rarely succeeds, owing to a lack of face and standing. The evolution of cooperation in this type of situation is studied here using threshold public good games, in which cooperation prevails when it is initially sufficient, or otherwise it perishes. While punishment is a powerful tool for shaping human behaviours, institutional punishment is often too costly to start with only a few contributors, which is another coordination problem. Here, we show that whatever the initial conditions, reward funds based on voluntary contribution can evolve. The voluntary reward paves the way for effectively overcoming the coordination problem and efficiently transforms freeloaders into cooperators with a perceived small risk of collective failure.

To Cooperate or Not to Cooperate: Why Behavioural Mechanisms Matter

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Mutualistic cooperation often requires multiple individuals to behave in a coordinated fashion. Hence, while the evolutionary stability of mutualistic cooperation poses no particular theoretical difficulty, its evolutionary emergence faces a chicken and egg problem: an individual cannot benefit from cooperating unless other individuals already do so. Here, we use evolutionary robotic simulations to study the consequences of this problem for the evolution of cooperation. In contrast with standard game-theoretic results, we find that the transition from solitary to cooperative strategies is very unlikely, whether interacting individuals are genetically related (cooperation evolves in 20% of all simulations) or unrelated (only 3% of all simulations). We also observe that successful cooperation between individuals requires the evolution of a specific and rather complex behaviour. This behavioural complexity creates a large fitness valley between solitary and cooperative strategies, making the evolutionary transition difficult. These results reveal the need for research on biological mechanisms which may facilitate this transition. PMID:27148874

A Cooperative Training Program for Students with Severe Behavior Problems: Description and Comparative Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reganick, Karol A.

The Cooperative Training Program was implemented with 20 students having severe behavior problems, to augment a classroom employability curriculum. Educators and business managers at a local Perkins restaurant worked cooperatively to design a new curriculum and recruitment procedure to benefit both students and the business. A continuous and…

Democracy in NGOs: Making the Cooperative Option Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wardle, Chris

1988-01-01

Discusses several problems encountered by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that structure themselves as cooperatives, with all members being equal. Presents four problem areas--(1) decision making, (2) meetings, (3) job rotation, and (4) growth--as well as strategies to solve potential problems. (CH)

Of magic wands and kaleidoscopes: fixing problems in the individual market.

PubMed

Hall, Mark A

2002-01-01

Policy analysts sometimes imagine that problems in the individual market can be fixed by waving a magic wand that makes the individual market function more like the group market. However, prior studies reveal that purchasing cooperatives fail to achieve substantial economies of scale; market reforms that reduce the impact of medical underwriting are difficult to implement in the individual market; and it may not be as easy as imagined to induce people to purchase over the Internet or from new or smaller companies that are at higher risk for exiting the market. The best solution is to limit the use of subsidies to certain purchasing options, such as with purchasing cooperatives that abide by rating, issuance, and renewability rules. What is not acceptable is to hand people subsidies and send them to the unstructured and relatively unregulated individual market, nor will it work to give people unhindered choice between two basically different market segments.

New Hampshire State Plan for Career Education. Planning Years: 1976-77 & 1977-78. Implementation Years 1978-83.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Hampshire State Dept. of Education, Concord.

Two hundred representatives from the community, special interest groups, and the educational field cooperated in writing a preliminary state plan for career education focusing on the following problems: high unemployment rate of society's untrained youth, the diminished ability of the job market to absorb unskilled workers, lack of trained persons…

Teachers' Expectations and School Administration: Keys of Better Communication in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslanargun, Engin

2015-01-01

Problem Statement: The quality of education carried out in schools depends largely on the performance of teachers and school principals in cooperation. It is possible to say that a qualified education of students depends on the performance and compliance degree of these two groups. In this process, teachers' having the primary responsibility for…

Initiative Games in Physical Education: A Practical Approach for Teaching Critical Thinking Skills--Part 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maina, Michael P.; Maina, Julie Schlegel; Hunt, Kevin

2016-01-01

As teachers prepare children for the future, the need for developing critical thinking skills in students becomes clearly evident. One way to promote this process is through initiative games. Initiative games are clearly defined problems that a group must find a solution to through cooperation, physical effort and cognitive functioning. The…

Contestation and Continuity in Educational Reform: A Critical Study of Innovations in Environmental Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robottom, Ian Morris

Contestation can be defined as a process in which self-interested individuals and groups in a social organization cooperate, compete, and negotiate in a complex interaction aimed at solving social problems. This dissertation explores the notion of contestation in the field of environmental education. In the first part of the document a framework…

Students' Perception of Relationship Skills during an Adventure-Based Learning Unit within Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuhr, Paul T.; Sutherland, Sue; Ressler, James; Ortiz-Stuhr, Esther M.

2015-01-01

Adventure-based learning (ABL) is a sequenced curriculum using structured physical and team building activities that create the space for participants to work on group communication, cooperation, trust, and problem solving. Reflection (i.e., debriefing) is an essential aspect of the ABL curriculum (Cosgriff, 2000). A debrief in ABL is the…

A Monte-Carlo game theoretic approach for Multi-Criteria Decision Making under uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madani, Kaveh; Lund, Jay R.

2011-05-01

Game theory provides a useful framework for studying Multi-Criteria Decision Making problems. This paper suggests modeling Multi-Criteria Decision Making problems as strategic games and solving them using non-cooperative game theory concepts. The suggested method can be used to prescribe non-dominated solutions and also can be used as a method to predict the outcome of a decision making problem. Non-cooperative stability definitions for solving the games allow consideration of non-cooperative behaviors, often neglected by other methods which assume perfect cooperation among decision makers. To deal with the uncertainty in input variables a Monte-Carlo Game Theory (MCGT) approach is suggested which maps the stochastic problem into many deterministic strategic games. The games are solved using non-cooperative stability definitions and the results include possible effects of uncertainty in input variables on outcomes. The method can handle multi-criteria multi-decision-maker problems with uncertainty. The suggested method does not require criteria weighting, developing a compound decision objective, and accurate quantitative (cardinal) information as it simplifies the decision analysis by solving problems based on qualitative (ordinal) information, reducing the computational burden substantially. The MCGT method is applied to analyze California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta problem. The suggested method provides insights, identifies non-dominated alternatives, and predicts likely decision outcomes.

Incentives for small clubs of Arctic countries to limit black carbon and methane emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aakre, Stine; Kallbekken, Steffen; Van Dingenen, Rita; Victor, David G.

2018-01-01

Although addressing climate change will ultimately require global cooperation, substantial progress may be achieved through small clubs of countries, where it is easier to forge and implement deals needed for policy coordination. Here we quantify the gains from cooperation in the Arctic region and find that nearly 90% of the potential for abating black carbon can be reached by countries acting in self-interest alone because soot, the main source of black carbon, causes severe harm to human health along with warming. Abating methane, by contrast, requires more cooperation because impacts are more diffused geographically. Well-designed clubs with as few as four members can realize more than 80% of the full group cooperation potential for reducing these pollutants. The pivotal player in every effective club is Russia—most other members of the Arctic Council, the institution most focused on advancing the collective interests of the region, offer little leverage on the problems at hand.

Peer interactions of normal and attention-deficit-disordered boys during free-play, cooperative task, and simulated classroom situations.

PubMed

Cunningham, C E; Siegel, L S

1987-06-01

Groups of 30 ADD-H boys and 90 normal boys were divided into 30 mixed dyads composed of a normal and an ADD-H boy, and 30 normal dyads composed of 2 normal boys. Dyads were videotaped interacting in 15-minute free-play, 15-minute cooperative task, and 15-minute simulated classroom settings. Mixed dyads engaged in more controlling interaction than normal dyads in both free-play and simulated classroom settings. In the simulated classroom, mixed dyads completed fewer math problems and were less compliant with the commands of peers. ADD-H children spent less simulated classroom time on task and scored lower on drawing tasks than normal peers. Older dyads proved less controlling, more compliant with peer commands, more inclined to play and work independently, less active, and more likely to remain on task during the cooperative task and simulated classroom settings. Results suggest that the ADD-H child prompts a more controlling, less cooperative pattern of responses from normal peers.

Human cooperation by lethal group competition

PubMed Central

Egas, Martijn; Kats, Ralph; van der Sar, Xander; Reuben, Ernesto; Sabelis, Maurice W.

2013-01-01

Why humans are prone to cooperate puzzles biologists, psychologists and economists alike. Between-group conflict has been hypothesized to drive within-group cooperation. However, such conflicts did not have lasting effects in laboratory experiments, because they were about luxury goods, not needed for survival (“looting”). Here, we find within-group cooperation to last when between-group conflict is implemented as “all-out war” (eliminating the weakest groups). Human subjects invested in helping group members to avoid having the lowest collective pay-off, whereas they failed to cooperate in control treatments with random group elimination or with no subdivision in groups. When the game was repeated, experience was found to promote helping. Thus, not within-group interactions alone, not random group elimination, but pay-off-dependent group elimination was found to drive within-group cooperation in our experiment. We suggest that some forms of human cooperation are maintained by multi-level selection: reciprocity within groups and lethal competition among groups acting together. PMID:23459158

Participatory Research Revealing the Work and Occupational Health Hazards of Cooperative Recyclers in Brazil

PubMed Central

Gutberlet, Jutta; Baeder, Angela M.; Pontuschka, Nídia N.; Felipone, Sonia M. N.; dos Santos, Tereza L. F.

2013-01-01

Although informal waste collectors are sometimes organized in cooperatives, their working conditions remain extremely precarious and unsafe. The paper discusses the findings of action oriented, participatory qualitative research with several recycling groups in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil. During workshops with the recyclers mapping, acting, and drawing methods helped reveal health hazards from collection, separation and transportation of recyclable materials. Major health problems relate to chemical and biological hazards, musculoskeletal damage, mechanical trauma and poor emotional wellbeing. The recent federal legislation on solid waste management opens new avenues for the inclusion of recycling cooperatives in selective waste collection. Nevertheless, we express the need to consider the distinctive characteristics and vulnerabilities of recycling groups, when developing safer work environments in these social businesses. We also suggest that the workspace be ergonomically organized and that public awareness campaigns about selective waste collection are conducted regularly to increase the quality of source separation. The introduction of electric hand pushed carts can further reduce health strains. This research has produced a better understanding of the work of the recyclers and related health risks. The interactive qualitative research methodology has allowed for the co-creation and mobilization of specific knowledge on health and safety in recycling cooperatives. PMID:24084672

Balancing selfishness and norm conformity can explain human behavior in large-scale prisoner's dilemma games and can poise human groups near criticality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Realpe-Gómez, John; Andrighetto, Giulia; Nardin, Luis Gustavo; Montoya, Javier Antonio

2018-04-01

Cooperation is central to the success of human societies as it is crucial for overcoming some of the most pressing social challenges of our time; still, how human cooperation is achieved and may persist is a main puzzle in the social and biological sciences. Recently, scholars have recognized the importance of social norms as solutions to major local and large-scale collective action problems, from the management of water resources to the reduction of smoking in public places to the change in fertility practices. Yet a well-founded model of the effect of social norms on human cooperation is still lacking. Using statistical-physics techniques and integrating findings from cognitive and behavioral sciences, we present an analytically tractable model in which individuals base their decisions to cooperate both on the economic rewards they obtain and on the degree to which their action complies with social norms. Results from this parsimonious model are in agreement with observations in recent large-scale experiments with humans. We also find the phase diagram of the model and show that the experimental human group is poised near a critical point, a regime where recent work suggests living systems respond to changing external conditions in an efficient and coordinated manner.

Participatory research revealing the work and occupational health hazards of cooperative recyclers in Brazil.

PubMed

Gutberlet, Jutta; Baeder, Angela M; Pontuschka, Nídia N; Felipone, Sonia M N; Dos Santos, Tereza L F

2013-09-27

Although informal waste collectors are sometimes organized in cooperatives, their working conditions remain extremely precarious and unsafe. The paper discusses the findings of action oriented, participatory qualitative research with several recycling groups in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil. During workshops with the recyclers mapping, acting, and drawing methods helped reveal health hazards from collection, separation and transportation of recyclable materials. Major health problems relate to chemical and biological hazards, musculoskeletal damage, mechanical trauma and poor emotional wellbeing. The recent federal legislation on solid waste management opens new avenues for the inclusion of recycling cooperatives in selective waste collection. Nevertheless, we express the need to consider the distinctive characteristics and vulnerabilities of recycling groups, when developing safer work environments in these social businesses. We also suggest that the workspace be ergonomically organized and that public awareness campaigns about selective waste collection are conducted regularly to increase the quality of source separation. The introduction of electric hand pushed carts can further reduce health strains. This research has produced a better understanding of the work of the recyclers and related health risks. The interactive qualitative research methodology has allowed for the co-creation and mobilization of specific knowledge on health and safety in recycling cooperatives.

Co-Operative Problem-Solving at the Royal Docks Community School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Ruth

2013-01-01

This article responds to Henry Tam's article in this issue of FORUM by exploring opportunities for co-operative problem-solving for staff and students of the Royal Docks Community School in the London Borough of Newham. Becoming a co-operative trust helped the school move out of special measures and develop a strategy of participation and…

Cooperation, Trust, and Antagonism: How Public Goods Are Promoted.

PubMed

Parks, Craig D; Joireman, Jeff; Van Lange, Paul A M

2013-12-01

One of the most continually vexing problems in society is the variability with which citizens support endeavors that are designed to help a great number of people. In this article, we examine the twin roles of cooperative and antagonistic behavior in this variability. We find that each plays an important role, though their contributions are, understandably, at odds. It is this opposition that produces seeming unpredictability in citizen response to collective need. In fact, we suggest that careful consideration of the research allows one to often predict when efforts to provide a collectively beneficial good will succeed and when they will fail. To understand the dynamics of participation in response to collective need, it is necessary to distinguish between the primary types of need situations. A public good is an entity that relies in whole or in part on contributions to be provided. Examples of public goods are charities and public broadcasting. Public goods require that citizens experience a short-term loss (of their contribution) in order to realize a long-term gain (of the good). However, because everyone can use the good once it is provided, there is also an incentive to not contribute, let others give, and then take advantage of their efforts. This state of affairs introduces a conflict between doing what is best for oneself and what is best for the group. In a public goods situation, cooperation and antagonism impact how one resolves this conflict. The other major type of need situation is a common-pool resource problem. Here, a good is fully provided at the outset, and citizens may sample from it. The resource is usually, but not necessarily, partially replenished. Examples of replenished resources are drinking water and trees; examples of resources that are functionally not replenished are oil and minerals. Common-pool resources allow citizens to experience a short-term gain (by getting what they want in the early life of the resource) but also present the possibility of a long-term loss (if the resource dries up). As with public goods, there is thus a conflict between, on the one hand, acting in one's best interest and taking as much as one wants all the time and, on the other, acting for the good of the group, which requires taking a lesser amount so that the replenishment rate can keep up with the rate of use. As with public goods, both cooperation and antagonism affect this decision. With these situations in mind, we can now dig deeply into the dynamics of both cooperation and antagonism. Cooperation is one of the most heavily studied aspects of human behavior, yet despite this attention, there is much that is not understood about it, including its fundamental base. There are a number of different perspectives on the base. Interdependence theory argues that cooperation is driven by how one interprets the subjective value of the outcomes that will result from various combinations of behaviors. A person who sees a potential result of "50 to you, 50 to me" as "We both would do well" is more likely to cooperate than the person who sees it as "I would not outgain the other person." Self-control theory suggests that cooperation is a function of how well a person can resist the impulse to benefit now and delay gratification. Evolutionary theory takes many forms but revolves around the extent to which cooperation is adaptive. Finally, the appropriateness framework takes a cognitive approach and assumes that cooperation is determined by a combination of social-cognitive (interpretation of self and the situation) and decision-heuristic factors. We propose that it is possible to integrate across these approaches and understand cooperation as a behavior that is influenced by all of these factors as well as other dynamics, such as cultural mores and personality traits. Antagonism, as it relates to the collective welfare, is a phenomenon with a lesser history but one that is clearly influential. A number of facets of antagonism are relevant. Power, and its abuse, is a major factor, and a specific application to collective goods is the notion of a "gatekeeper," or a person who can completely determine whether a public good exists or a common-pool resource can be used. Gatekeepers tend to demand ample compensation from others in order for the good or resource to go forward. If this demand is resisted, as it often is, the end result is that the good is not provided or the resource not accessed. Another facet is the desire to see an out-group be harmed. Sometimes, this motivation is so strong that people will deny themselves a good outcome in order to see the harm occur. Why someone would want to see an out-group be harmed is debatable, but it may be attributable to a desire to be seen as a winner, or it may be a strategy designed to produce a net benefit for one's in-group. Emotions also play a role, with people tending to assume that out-group members have just basic emotions such as happiness and sadness and not secondary emotions such as guilt and shame. Because out-group members are emotionally simple, it is seen as acceptable to treat them badly. Complicating matters even further is that antagonism can sometimes be seen against in-group members who deviate, in either direction, from the group norm and against individuals who are behaving in a clearly selfless manner, like volunteers. A number of approaches have been proposed to the resolution of public goods problems. Structural solutions act to alter the basic dynamic of the dilemma by means of interventions such as rewards for cooperation, punishment for noncooperation, and selection of a single group member to chart a course of action for everyone. Third-party solutions involve the bringing in of an external agent to help determine how group members should behave. These agents may be more passive and merely suggest solutions, or they may be more active and dictate how decisions will be made, what decision will be made, or both. Finally, psychological solutions involve changing how people view the situation. We finish by discussing how policy makers can improve the chances of a publicly valuable good being supported. We particularly emphasize creation of a felt connection with future generations; clear demonstration of immediate and concrete consequences as a result of failure to provide the good; instillation of a sense of community; and isolation of the good from other, related issues. We also take up the general problem of distrust of those who establish policy and discuss some methods for helping minimize distrust. © The Author(s) 2013.

Cooperative vehicle routing problem: an opportunity for cost saving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zibaei, Sedighe; Hafezalkotob, Ashkan; Ghashami, Seyed Sajad

2016-09-01

In this paper, a novel methodology is proposed to solve a cooperative multi-depot vehicle routing problem. We establish a mathematical model for multi-owner VRP in which each owner (i.e. player) manages single or multiple depots. The basic idea consists of offering an option that owners cooperatively manage the VRP to save their costs. We present cooperative game theory techniques for cost saving allocations which are obtained from various coalitions of owners. The methodology is illustrated with a numerical example in which different coalitions of the players are evaluated along with the results of cooperation and cost saving allocation methods.

Cultural Values in Intergroup and Single-Group Social Dilemmas.

PubMed

Probst; Carnevale; Triandis

1999-03-01

Do cultural values influence the manner in which people cooperate with one another? This study assessed cultural characteristics of individuals and then related these characteristics to cooperative behavior in social dilemmas. Participants were assessed for their degree of vertical and horizontal individualism and collectivism, cultural values identified by Triandis (1995). They made choices in either a single-group or an intergroup social dilemma. The single-group dilemma entailed a three-person dilemma; the intergroup dilemma was identical but added subgroup competition, i.e., an opposing three-person group. The results indicated an interaction between cultural characteristics and type of dilemma for cooperation. The single-group versus intergroup effect reported by Bornstein and Ben-Yossef (1994) was replicated, but only for vertical individualists. The vertical individualists were least cooperative in the single-group dilemma but were more cooperative in the intergroup dilemma-where cooperation with the group maximized personal outcomes. The vertical collectivists were most cooperative in the single-group dilemma but were less cooperative in the intergroup dilemma- where group defection resulted in maximum group outcomes. The horizontal individualists and collectivists exhibited an intermediate level of cooperation, with no differences in cooperation between the single-group and intergroup dilemmas. Taken together, the results suggest that the relationship between cultural values and cooperation, in particular with reference to vertical and horizontal components of individualism and collectivism, is more complex than has been suggested in past research. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Cooperation in social dilemmas: free riding may be thwarted by second-order reward rather than by punishment.

PubMed

Kiyonari, Toko; Barclay, Pat

2008-10-01

Cooperation among nonrelatives can be puzzling because cooperation often involves incurring costs to confer benefits on unrelated others. Punishment of noncooperators can sustain otherwise fragile cooperation, but the provision of punishment suffers from a "second-order" free-riding problem because nonpunishers can free ride on the benefits from costly punishment provided by others. One suggested solution to this problem is second-order punishment of nonpunishers; more generally, the threat or promise of higher order sanctions might maintain the lower order sanctions that enforce cooperation in collective action problems. Here the authors report on 3 experiments testing people's willingness to provide second-order sanctions by having participants play a cooperative game with opportunities to punish and reward each other. The authors found that people supported those who rewarded cooperators either by rewarding them or by punishing nonrewarders, but people did not support those who punished noncooperators--they did not reward punishers or punish nonpunishers. Furthermore, people did not approve of punishers more than they did nonpunishers, even when nonpunishers were clearly unwilling to use sanctions to support cooperation. The results suggest that people will much more readily support positive sanctions than they will support negative sanctions.

Access Control for Cooperation Systems Based on Group Situation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Minsoo; Joshi, James B. D.; Kim, Minkoo

Cooperation systems characterize many emerging environments such as ubiquitous and pervasive systems. Agent based cooperation systems have been proposed in the literature to address challenges of such emerging application environments. A key aspect of such agent based cooperation system is the group situation that changes dynamically and governs the requirements of the cooperation. While individual agent context is important, the overall cooperation behavior is more driven by the group context because of relationships and interactions between agents. Dynamic access control based on group situation is a crucial challenge in such cooperation systems. In this paper we propose a dynamic role based access control model for cooperation systems based on group situation. The model emphasizes capability based agent to role mapping and group situation based permission assignment to allow capturing dynamic access policies that evolve continuously.

Unifying perspectives on cooperation under social viscosity. Comment on "Universal scaling for the dilemma strength in evolutionary games" by Z. Wang et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauch, Chris T.

2015-09-01

How cooperation evolved in populations of self-interested agents puzzled Charles Darwin, who portrayed the paradox in The Descent of Man as such: "He who was ready to sacrifice his life, as many a savage has been, rather than betray his comrades, would often leave no offspring to inherit his noble nature" [1]. Darwin invoked group selection to explain cooperation: if groups of cooperating individuals could work together to outcompete groups of selfish individuals, cooperation could thrive. Fundamentally, this mechanism works by allowing cooperators to interact preferentially with one another: cooperators tend to interact with other co-operators whereas selfish "defectors" tend to interact with other defectors. Since cooperators cooperate and defectors defect, groups of cooperators should do better, on average.

The School of Hard Knocks: The Development of Close Air Support in Burma during the Second World War

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-23

Group CAOC Combined Air Operations Center CAS Close Air Support CBI China-Burma-India EAC Eastern Air Command FM Field Manual JP Joint...Command ( EAC ) solved problems identified by the American Volunteer Group (AVG) in 1942. EAC’s doctrine, procedures, and techniques laid the foundation for...named the Eastern Air Command ( EAC ), and oversaw the air-land cooperation during the Allied counter-offensive into Burma throughout 1943 and 1944.8 The

The Effects of Mind Mapping with Cooperative Learning on Programming Performance, Problem Solving Skill and Metacognitive Knowledge among Computer Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ismail, Mohd Nasir; Ngah, Nor Azilah; Umar, Irfan Naufal

2010-01-01

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of mind mapping with cooperative learning (MMCL) and cooperative learning (CL) on: (a) programming performance; (b) problem solving skill; and (c) metacognitive knowledge among computer science students in Malaysia. The moderating variable is the students' logical thinking level with two…

General form of a cooperative gradual maximal covering location problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagherinejad, Jafar; Bashiri, Mahdi; Nikzad, Hamideh

2018-07-01

Cooperative and gradual covering are two new methods for developing covering location models. In this paper, a cooperative maximal covering location-allocation model is developed (CMCLAP). In addition, both cooperative and gradual covering concepts are applied to the maximal covering location simultaneously (CGMCLP). Then, we develop an integrated form of a cooperative gradual maximal covering location problem, which is called a general CGMCLP. By setting the model parameters, the proposed general model can easily be transformed into other existing models, facilitating general comparisons. The proposed models are developed without allocation for physical signals and with allocation for non-physical signals in discrete location space. Comparison of the previously introduced gradual maximal covering location problem (GMCLP) and cooperative maximal covering location problem (CMCLP) models with our proposed CGMCLP model in similar data sets shows that the proposed model can cover more demands and acts more efficiently. Sensitivity analyses are performed to show the effect of related parameters and the model's validity. Simulated annealing (SA) and a tabu search (TS) are proposed as solution algorithms for the developed models for large-sized instances. The results show that the proposed algorithms are efficient solution approaches, considering solution quality and running time.

Effect of cooperation level of group on punishment for non-cooperators: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Kodaka, Fumitoshi; Takahashi, Hidehiko; Yamada, Makiko; Takano, Harumasa; Nakayama, Kazuhiko; Ito, Hiroshi; Suhara, Tetsuya

2012-01-01

Sometimes we punish non-cooperators in our society. Such behavior could be derived from aversive emotion for inequity (inequity aversion) to make non-cooperators cooperative. Thus, punishing behavior derived from inequity is believed to be important for maintaining our society. Meanwhile, our daily experiences suggest that the degree of cooperation by the members of society (cooperation level of the group) could change the punishing behavior for non-cooperators even if the inequity were equal. Such effect of the cooperation level of the group cannot be explained by simple inequity aversion. Although punishment-related brain regions have been reported in previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, little is known about such regions affected by the cooperation level of the group. In the present fMRI study, we investigated the effect of the cooperation level of the group on the punishing behavior for non-cooperators and its related brain activations by a paradigm in which the degree of the cooperative state varied from low to high. Punishment-related activations were observed in brain regions such as the anterior insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The quantity of punishment in a high cooperation context was greater than in a low cooperation context, and activation in the right DLPFC and ACC in a high cooperation context showed greater activity than in a low cooperation context. This indicates that the cooperation level of the group, as well as aversive emotion for inequity, is the important factor of punishing behavior.

Sample path analysis of contribution and reward in cooperative groups.

PubMed

Toyoizumi, Hiroshi

2009-02-07

Explaining cooperative behavior is one of the major challenges in both biology and human society. The individual reward in cooperative group depends on how we share the rewards in the group. Thus, the group size dynamics in a cooperative group and reward-allocation rule seem essential to evaluate the emergence of cooperative groups. We apply a sample path-based analysis called an extension of Little's formula to general cooperative group. We show that the expected reward is insensitive to the specific reward-allocation rule and probabilistic structure of group dynamics, and the simple productivity condition guarantees the expected reward to be larger than the average contribution. As an example, we take social queues to see the insensitivity result in detail.

Contingent movement and cooperation evolve under generalized reciprocity

PubMed Central

Hamilton, Ian M; Taborsky, Michael

2005-01-01

How cooperation and altruism among non-relatives can persist in the face of cheating remains a key puzzle in evolutionary biology. Although mechanisms such as direct and indirect reciprocity and limited movement have been put forward to explain such cooperation, they cannot explain cooperation among unfamiliar, highly mobile individuals. Here we show that cooperation may be evolutionarily stable if decisions taken to cooperate and to change group membership are both dependent on anonymous social experience (generalized reciprocity). We find that a win–stay, lose–shift rule (where shifting is either moving away from the group or changing tactics within the group after receiving defection) evolves in evolutionary simulations when group leaving is moderately costly (i.e. the current payoff to being alone is low, but still higher than that in a mutually defecting group, and new groups are rarely encountered). This leads to the establishment of widespread cooperation in the population. If the costs of group leaving are reduced, a similar group-leaving rule evolves in association with cooperation in pairs and exploitation of larger anonymous groups. We emphasize that mechanisms of assortment within populations are often behavioural decisions and should not be considered independently of the evolution of cooperation. PMID:16191638

Enhancing US-Japan Cooperation to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is aimed at preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious disease threats. To move toward these goals, the United States has committed to partner with at least 30 countries around the world. One of the objectives of the GHSA includes “[p]reventing the emergence and spread of antimicrobial drug resistant organisms.” Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a growing global health security problem, with inappropriate use of antimicrobial medications in humans and animals and a lack of new antimicrobial medications contributing to this problem. While AMR is a growing global concern, working on it regionally can make this multifaceted problem more manageable. The United States and Japan, both world leaders in the life sciences, are close allies that have established cooperative programs in medical research and global health that can be used to work on combating AMR and advance the GHSA. Although the United States and Japan have cooperated on health issues in the past, their cooperation on the growing problem of AMR has been limited. Their existing networks, cooperative programs, and close relationships can and should be used to work on combating this expanding problem. PMID:25470465

Climate change and game theory.

PubMed

Wood, Peter John

2011-02-01

This paper examines the problem of achieving global cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Contributions to this problem are reviewed from noncooperative game theory, cooperative game theory, and implementation theory. We examine the solutions to games where players have a continuous choice about how much to pollute, as well as games where players make decisions about treaty participation. The implications of linking cooperation on climate change with cooperation on other issues, such as trade, are also examined. Cooperative and noncooperative approaches to coalition formation are investigated in order to examine the behavior of coalitions cooperating on climate change. One way to achieve cooperation is to design a game, known as a mechanism, whose equilibrium corresponds to an optimal outcome. This paper examines some mechanisms that are based on conditional commitments, and their policy implications. These mechanisms could make cooperation on climate change mitigation more likely. © 2011 New York Academy of Sciences.

The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) Cooperative Agreement Program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working on or planning to work on projects to address local environmental and/or public health issues

Between-group competition elicits within-group cooperation in children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majolo, Bonaventura; Maréchal, Laëtitia

2017-02-01

Aggressive interactions between groups are frequent in human societies and can bear significant fitness costs and benefits (e.g. death or access to resources). During between-group competitive interactions, more cohesive groups (i.e. groups formed by individuals who cooperate in group defence) should out-perform less cohesive groups, other factors being equal (e.g. group size). The cost/benefit of between-group competition are thought to have driven correlated evolution of traits that favour between-group aggression and within-group cooperation (e.g. parochial altruism). Our aim was to analyse whether the proximate relationship between between-group competition and within-group cooperation is found in 3-10 years old children and the developmental trajectory of such a relationship. We used a large cohort of children (n = 120) and tested whether simulated between-group competition increased within-group cooperation (i.e. how much of a resource children were giving to their group companions) in two experiments. We found greater within-group cooperation when groups of four children were competing with other groups then in the control condition (no between-group competition). Within-group cooperation increased with age. Our study suggests that parochial altruism and in-group/out-group biases emerge early during the course of human development.

Between-group competition elicits within-group cooperation in children

PubMed Central

Majolo, Bonaventura; Maréchal, Laëtitia

2017-01-01

Aggressive interactions between groups are frequent in human societies and can bear significant fitness costs and benefits (e.g. death or access to resources). During between-group competitive interactions, more cohesive groups (i.e. groups formed by individuals who cooperate in group defence) should out-perform less cohesive groups, other factors being equal (e.g. group size). The cost/benefit of between-group competition are thought to have driven correlated evolution of traits that favour between-group aggression and within-group cooperation (e.g. parochial altruism). Our aim was to analyse whether the proximate relationship between between-group competition and within-group cooperation is found in 3–10 years old children and the developmental trajectory of such a relationship. We used a large cohort of children (n = 120) and tested whether simulated between-group competition increased within-group cooperation (i.e. how much of a resource children were giving to their group companions) in two experiments. We found greater within-group cooperation when groups of four children were competing with other groups then in the control condition (no between-group competition). Within-group cooperation increased with age. Our study suggests that parochial altruism and in-group/out-group biases emerge early during the course of human development. PMID:28233820

Cooperative Learning in the Thinking Classroom: Research and Theoretical Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Christine; And Others

As a classroom organization and instructional method, cooperative learning merits serious consideration for use in thinking classrooms. Cooperative learning is more than just groupwork. In traditional group learning, students work in groups with no attention paid to group functioning, whereas in cooperative learning, group work is carefully…

Problems of integrated palliative care: a Dutch case study of routines and cooperation in the region of Arnhem.

PubMed

van Raak, Arno; Paulus, Aggie; Cuijpers, Rianne; Te Velde, Clary

2008-12-01

Cooperation in networks of providers of palliative care in Europe is problematic. Based on the concept of routines (patterns of behavior) and data about a Dutch network, we developed an explanation of this problem, in order to better understand the conditions for cooperation. Although more research is needed, the study suggests that disparate matches (divergence) between routines of the network members hampers cooperation. To promote cooperation, divergence, and legislation that stabilizes existing routines, must be identified. Divergence must be overcome and negotiations and transformational leadership, which require power sources, may be useful for this.

Safety management in multiemployer worksites in the manufacturing industry: opinions on co-operation and problems encountered.

PubMed

Nenonen, Sanna; Vasara, Juha

2013-01-01

Co-operation between different parties and effective safety management play an important role in ensuring safety in multiemployer worksites. This article reviews safety co-operation and factors complicating safety management in Finnish multiemployer manufacturing worksites. The paper focuses on the service providers' opinions; however, a comparison of the customers' views is also presented. The results show that safety-related co-operation between providers and customers is generally considered as successful but strongly dependent on the partner. Safety co-operation is provided through, e.g., training, orientation and risk analysis. Problems encountered include ensuring adequate communication, identifying hazards, co-ordinating work tasks and determining responsibilities. The providers and the customers encounter similar safety management problems. The results presented in this article can help companies to focus their efforts on the most problematic points of safety management and to avoid common pitfalls.

Application of the multi-disciplinary thematic seminar method in two homecare cases - a comparative study.

PubMed

Scandurra, Isabella; Hägglund, Maria; Koch, Sabine

2008-01-01

A significant problem with current health information technologies is that they poorly support collaborative work of healthcare professionals, sometimes leading to a fragmentation of workflow and disruption of healthcare processes. This paper presents two homecare cases, both applying multi-disciplinary thematic seminars (MdTS) as a collaborative method for user needs elicitation and requirements specification. This study describes the MdTS application to elicit user needs from different perspectives to coincide with collaborative professions' work practices in two cases. Despite different objectives, the two cases validated that MdTS emphasized the "points of intersection" in cooperative work. Different user groups with similar, yet distinct needs reached a common understanding of the entire work process, agreed upon requirements and participated in the design of prototypes supporting cooperative work. MdTS was applicable in both exploratory and normative studies aiming to elicit the specific requirements in a cooperative environment.

When Creative Problem Solving Strategy Meets Web-Based Cooperative Learning Environment in Accounting Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Kai Wen

2011-01-01

Background: Facing highly competitive and changing environment, cultivating citizens with problem-solving attitudes is one critical vision of education. In brief, the importance of education is to cultivate students with practical abilities. Realizing the advantages of web-based cooperative learning (web-based CL) and creative problem solving…

Evolution of group-wise cooperation: Is direct reciprocity insufficient?

PubMed

Kurokawa, Shun; Ihara, Yasuo

2017-02-21

Group-wise cooperation, or cooperation among three or more individuals, is an integral part of human societies. It is likely that group-wise cooperation also played a crucial role in the survival of early hominins, who were confronted with novel environmental challenges, long before the emergence of Homo sapiens. However, previous theoretical and empirical studies, focusing mainly on modern humans, have tended to suggest that evolution of cooperation in sizable groups cannot be explained by simple direct reciprocity and requires some additional mechanisms (reputation, punishment, etc.), which are cognitively too demanding for early hominins. As a partial resolution of the paradox, our recent analysis of a stochastic evolutionary model, which considers the effect of random drift, has revealed that evolution of group-wise cooperation is more likely to occur in larger groups when an individual's share of the benefit produced by one cooperator does not decrease with increasing group size (i.e., goods are non-rivalrous). In this paper, we further extend our previous analysis to explore possible consequences of introducing rare mistakes in behavior or imperfect information about behavior of others on the model outcome. Analyses of the extended models show that evolution of group-wise cooperation can be facilitated by large group size even when individuals intending to cooperate sometimes fail to do so or when all the information about the past behavior of group members is not available. We argue, therefore, that evolution of cooperation in sizable groups does not necessarily require other mechanisms than direct reciprocity if the goods to be produced via group-wise cooperation are non-rivalrous. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promoting cooperation by reputation-driven group formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Han-Xin; Wang, Zhen

2017-02-01

In previous studies of the spatial public goods game, each player is able to establish a group. However, in real life, some players cannot successfully organize groups for various reasons. In this paper, we propose a mechanism of reputation-driven group formation, in which groups can only be organized by players whose reputation reaches or exceeds a threshold. We define a player’s reputation as the frequency of cooperation in the last T time steps. We find that the highest cooperation level can be obtained when groups are only established by pure cooperators who always cooperate in the last T time steps. Effects of the memory length T on cooperation are also studied.

Preliminary investigation into application of problem-based learning in the practical teaching of diagnostics

PubMed Central

Rui, Zeng; Rong-Zheng, Yue; Hong-Yu, Qiu; Jing, Zeng; Xue-Hong, Wan; Chuan, Zuo

2015-01-01

Background Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach based on problems. Specifically, it is a student-centered, problem-oriented teaching method that is conducted through group discussions. The aim of our study is to explore the effects of PBL in diagnostic teaching for Chinese medical students. Methods A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted. Eighty junior clinical medical students were randomly divided into two groups. Forty students were allocated to a PBL group and another 40 students were allocated to a control group using the traditional teaching method. Their scores in the practice skills examination, ability to write and analyze medical records, and results on the stage test and behavior observation scale were compared. A questionnaire was administered in the PBL group after class. Results There were no significant differences in scores for writing medical records, content of interviewing, physical examination skills, and stage test between the two groups. However, compared with the control group, the PBL group had significantly higher scores on case analysis, interviewing skills, and behavioral observation scales. Conclusion The questionnaire survey revealed that PBL could improve interest in learning, cultivate an ability to study independently, improve communication and analytical skills, and good team cooperation spirit. However, there were some shortcomings in systematization of imparting knowledge. PBL has an obvious advantage in teaching with regard to diagnostic practice. PMID:25848334

Cooperative global optimal preview tracking control of linear multi-agent systems: an internal model approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yanrong; Liao, Fucheng; Deng, Jiamei; Liu, Huiyang

2017-09-01

This paper investigates the cooperative global optimal preview tracking problem of linear multi-agent systems under the assumption that the output of a leader is a previewable periodic signal and the topology graph contains a directed spanning tree. First, a type of distributed internal model is introduced, and the cooperative preview tracking problem is converted to a global optimal regulation problem of an augmented system. Second, an optimal controller, which can guarantee the asymptotic stability of the augmented system, is obtained by means of the standard linear quadratic optimal preview control theory. Third, on the basis of proving the existence conditions of the controller, sufficient conditions are given for the original problem to be solvable, meanwhile a cooperative global optimal controller with error integral and preview compensation is derived. Finally, the validity of theoretical results is demonstrated by a numerical simulation.

HealthMarts, HIPCs (health insurance purchasing cooperatives), MEWAs (multiple employee welfare arrangements), and AHPs (association health plans): a guide for the perplexed.

PubMed

Hall, M A; Wicks, E K; Lawlor, J S

2001-01-01

This paper considers how pending proposals to authorize new forms of group purchasing arrangements for health insurance would fit and function within the existing, highly complex market and regulatory landscape and whether these proposals are likely to meet their stated objectives and avoid unintended consequences. Cost savings are more likely to result from increased risk segmentation than through true market efficiencies. Thus, these proposals could erode previous market reforms whose goal is increased risk pooling. On the other hand, these proposals contain important enhancements, clarifications, and simplification of state and federal regulatory oversight of group purchasing vehicles. Also, they address some of the problems that have hampered the performance of purchasing cooperatives. On balance, although these proposals should receive cautious and careful consideration, they are not likely to produce a significant overall reduction in premiums or increase in coverage.

Conflicting social motives in negotiating groups.

PubMed

Weingart, Laurie R; Brett, Jeanne M; Olekalns, Mara; Smith, Philip L

2007-12-01

Negotiators' social motives (cooperative vs. individualistic) influence their strategic behaviors. In this study, the authors used multilevel modeling and analyses of strategy sequences to test hypotheses regarding how negotiators' social motives and the composition of the group influence group members' negotiation strategies. Four-person groups negotiating a 5-issue mixed-motive decision-making task were videotaped, and the tapes were transcribed and coded. Group composition included 2 homogeneous conditions (all cooperators and all individualists) and 3 heterogeneous conditions (3 cooperators and 1 individualist, 2 cooperators and 2 individualists, 1 cooperator and 3 individualists). Results showed that cooperative negotiators adjusted their use of integrative and distributive strategies in response to the social-motive composition of the group, but individualistic negotiators did not. Results from analyses of strategy sequences showed that cooperators responded more systematically to others' behaviors than did individualists. They also redirected the negotiation depending on group composition. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved.

Cooperation and conflict: field experiments in Northern Ireland.

PubMed

Silva, Antonio S; Mace, Ruth

2014-10-07

The idea that cohesive groups, in which individuals help each other, have a competitive advantage over groups composed of selfish individuals has been widely suggested as an explanation for the evolution of cooperation in humans. Recent theoretical models propose the coevolution of parochial altruism and intergroup conflict, when in-group altruism and out-group hostility contribute to the group's success in these conflicts. However, the few empirical attempts to test this hypothesis do not use natural groups and conflate measures of in-group and unbiased cooperative behaviour. We conducted field experiments based on naturalistic measures of cooperation (school/charity donations and lost letters' returns) with two religious groups with an on-going history of conflict-Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. Conflict was associated with reduced donations to out-group schools and the return of out-group letters, but we found no evidence that it influences in-group cooperation. Rather, socio-economic status was the major determinant of cooperative behaviour. Our study presents a challenge to dominant perspectives on the origins of human cooperation, and has implications for initiatives aiming to promote conflict resolution and social cohesion.

Cooperation and conflict: field experiments in Northern Ireland

PubMed Central

Silva, Antonio S.; Mace, Ruth

2014-01-01

The idea that cohesive groups, in which individuals help each other, have a competitive advantage over groups composed of selfish individuals has been widely suggested as an explanation for the evolution of cooperation in humans. Recent theoretical models propose the coevolution of parochial altruism and intergroup conflict, when in-group altruism and out-group hostility contribute to the group's success in these conflicts. However, the few empirical attempts to test this hypothesis do not use natural groups and conflate measures of in-group and unbiased cooperative behaviour. We conducted field experiments based on naturalistic measures of cooperation (school/charity donations and lost letters' returns) with two religious groups with an on-going history of conflict—Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. Conflict was associated with reduced donations to out-group schools and the return of out-group letters, but we found no evidence that it influences in-group cooperation. Rather, socio-economic status was the major determinant of cooperative behaviour. Our study presents a challenge to dominant perspectives on the origins of human cooperation, and has implications for initiatives aiming to promote conflict resolution and social cohesion. PMID:25143042

Does Group Size Matter for Behavior in Online Trust Dilemmas?

PubMed

Artinger, Sabrina; Vulkan, Nir

2016-01-01

How does group size influence behavior in online trust dilemmas? We investigate cooperation in groups of 4 to 100 players. While overall levels of cooperation are stable across group sizes, we find significant gender differences: women increase cooperation with group size and cooperate significantly more than men in large groups. These results are robust when controlling for risk aversion, age, and other individual differences. They highlight the importance of studying behavior and gender differences in large groups.

The archiving of meteor research information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nechitailenko, V. A.

1987-01-01

The results obtained over the past years under GLOBMET are not reviewed but some of the problems the solution of which will guide further development of meteor investigation and international cooperation in this field for the near term are discussed. The main attention is paid to problems which the meteor community itself can solve, or at least expedite. Most of them are more or less connected with the problem of information archiving. Information archiving deals with methods and techniques of solving two closely connected groups of problems. The first is the analysis of data and information as an integral part of meteor research and deals with the solution of certain methodological problems. The second deals with gathering data and information for the designing of models of the atmosphere and/or meteor complex and its utilization. These problem solutions are discussed.

Effect of Cooperative Problem-Based Lab Instruction on Metacognition and Problem-Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandi-Urena, Santiago; Cooper, Melanie; Stevens, Ron

2012-01-01

While most scientists agree that laboratory work is an important part of introductory science courses, there is scant evidence for the relationship between laboratory work and student learning, particularly at the college level. This work reports the quantitative component of a mixed-methods study of the effect of cooperative problem-based…

A simple rule for the evolution of contingent cooperation in large groups

PubMed Central

Schonmann, Roberto H.; Boyd, Robert

2016-01-01

Humans cooperate in large groups of unrelated individuals, and many authors have argued that such cooperation is sustained by contingent reward and punishment. However, such sanctioning systems can also stabilize a wide range of behaviours, including mutually deleterious behaviours. Moreover, it is very likely that large-scale cooperation is derived in the human lineage. Thus, understanding the evolution of mutually beneficial cooperative behaviour requires knowledge of when strategies that support such behaviour can increase when rare. Here, we derive a simple formula that gives the relatedness necessary for contingent cooperation in n-person iterated games to increase when rare. This rule applies to a wide range of pay-off functions and assumes that the strategies supporting cooperation are based on the presence of a threshold fraction of cooperators. This rule suggests that modest levels of relatedness are sufficient for invasion by strategies that make cooperation contingent on previous cooperation by a small fraction of group members. In contrast, only high levels of relatedness allow the invasion by strategies that require near universal cooperation. In order to derive this formula, we introduce a novel methodology for studying evolution in group structured populations including local and global group-size regulation and fluctuations in group size. PMID:26729938

Comparison of technology-based cooperative learning with technology-based individual learning in enhancing fundamental nursing proficiency.

PubMed

Lin, Zu-Chun

2013-05-01

The aim of nursing education is to prepare students with critical thinking, high interests in profession and high proficiency in patient care. Cooperative learning promotes team work and encourages knowledge building upon discussion. It has been viewed as one of the most powerful learning methods. Technology has been considered an influential tool in teaching and learning. It assists students in gathering more information to solve the problems and master skills better. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of technology-based cooperative learning with technology-based individual learning in nursing students' critical thinking in catheterization knowledge gaining, error discovering, skill acquisitions, and overall scores. This study used a pretest-posttest experimental design. Ninety-eight students were assigned randomly to one of two groups. Questionnaires and tests were collected at baseline and after completion of intervention. The results of this study showed that there was no significant difference in related catheterization skill performance. However, the remaining variables differed greatly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS AND APPLICATIONS: This study's findings guide the researchers and instructors to use technology-based cooperative learning more appropriately. Future research should address the design of the course module and the availability of mobile devices to reach student-centered and learn on the move goals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of Yeast Cooperation in 2D.

PubMed

Wang, M; Huang, Y; Wu, Z

2016-03-01

Evolution of cooperation has been an active research area in evolutionary biology in decades. An important type of cooperation is developed from group selection, when individuals form spatial groups to prevent them from foreign invasions. In this paper, we study the evolution of cooperation in a mixed population of cooperating and cheating yeast strains in 2D with the interactions among the yeast cells restricted to their small neighborhoods. We conduct a computer simulation based on a game theoretic model and show that cooperation is increased when the interactions are spatially restricted, whether the game is of a prisoner's dilemma, snow drifting, or mutual benefit type. We study the evolution of homogeneous groups of cooperators or cheaters and describe the conditions for them to sustain or expand in an opponent population. We show that under certain spatial restrictions, cooperator groups are able to sustain and expand as group sizes become large, while cheater groups fail to expand and keep them from collapse.

Multiagent optimization system for solving the traveling salesman problem (TSP).

PubMed

Xie, Xiao-Feng; Liu, Jiming

2009-04-01

The multiagent optimization system (MAOS) is a nature-inspired method, which supports cooperative search by the self-organization of a group of compact agents situated in an environment with certain sharing public knowledge. Moreover, each agent in MAOS is an autonomous entity with personal declarative memory and behavioral components. In this paper, MAOS is refined for solving the traveling salesman problem (TSP), which is a classic hard computational problem. Based on a simplified MAOS version, in which each agent manipulates on extremely limited declarative knowledge, some simple and efficient components for solving TSP, including two improving heuristics based on a generalized edge assembly recombination, are implemented. Compared with metaheuristics in adaptive memory programming, MAOS is particularly suitable for supporting cooperative search. The experimental results on two TSP benchmark data sets show that MAOS is competitive as compared with some state-of-the-art algorithms, including the Lin-Kernighan-Helsgaun, IBGLK, PHGA, etc., although MAOS does not use any explicit local search during the runtime. The contributions of MAOS components are investigated. It indicates that certain clues can be positive for making suitable selections before time-consuming computation. More importantly, it shows that the cooperative search of agents can achieve an overall good performance with a macro rule in the switch mode, which deploys certain alternate search rules with the offline performance in negative correlations. Using simple alternate rules may prevent the high difficulty of seeking an omnipotent rule that is efficient for a large data set.

Conflicts and issues related to mountain biking in the National Forests: a multimethodological approach

Treesearch

Steven J. Hollenhorst; Michael A. Schuett; David Olson

1995-01-01

One of the key reasons for the tremendous increase in mountain biking on the National Forests is the myriad of opportunities available for off-road cycling enthusiasts. The issues of land access, trail maintenance and conflict are reinforced as complex problems that will need to be resolved through the cooperation of land managers, user groups and clubs/organizations....

The Use of Structured Social Interaction with the Culture-General Assimilator To Increase Cognitive Problem Solving about Intercultural Interactions in an Ethnically Diverse Population.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilola, Lisa Marie

This study describes an intercultural learning program combining cooperative learning with critical incidents drawn from the culture-general assimilator developed by Brislin. The training program was adapted to school teachers, a population already identified as a high-risk group because of the frequency and unpredictability of the intercultural…

Approximately adaptive neural cooperative control for nonlinear multiagent systems with performance guarantee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jing; Yang, Tianyu; Staskevich, Gennady; Abbe, Brian

2017-04-01

This paper studies the cooperative control problem for a class of multiagent dynamical systems with partially unknown nonlinear system dynamics. In particular, the control objective is to solve the state consensus problem for multiagent systems based on the minimisation of certain cost functions for individual agents. Under the assumption that there exist admissible cooperative controls for such class of multiagent systems, the formulated problem is solved through finding the optimal cooperative control using the approximate dynamic programming and reinforcement learning approach. With the aid of neural network parameterisation and online adaptive learning, our method renders a practically implementable approximately adaptive neural cooperative control for multiagent systems. Specifically, based on the Bellman's principle of optimality, the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation for multiagent systems is first derived. We then propose an approximately adaptive policy iteration algorithm for multiagent cooperative control based on neural network approximation of the value functions. The convergence of the proposed algorithm is rigorously proved using the contraction mapping method. The simulation results are included to validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Cooperative Robots to Observe Moving Targets: Review.

PubMed

Khan, Asif; Rinner, Bernhard; Cavallaro, Andrea

2018-01-01

The deployment of multiple robots for achieving a common goal helps to improve the performance, efficiency, and/or robustness in a variety of tasks. In particular, the observation of moving targets is an important multirobot application that still exhibits numerous open challenges, including the effective coordination of the robots. This paper reviews control techniques for cooperative mobile robots monitoring multiple targets. The simultaneous movement of robots and targets makes this problem particularly interesting, and our review systematically addresses this cooperative multirobot problem for the first time. We classify and critically discuss the control techniques: cooperative multirobot observation of multiple moving targets, cooperative search, acquisition, and track, cooperative tracking, and multirobot pursuit evasion. We also identify the five major elements that characterize this problem, namely, the coordination method, the environment, the target, the robot and its sensor(s). These elements are used to systematically analyze the control techniques. The majority of the studied work is based on simulation and laboratory studies, which may not accurately reflect real-world operational conditions. Importantly, while our systematic analysis is focused on multitarget observation, our proposed classification is useful also for related multirobot applications.

Cooperative context is a determinant of the social influence on outcome evaluation: An electrophysiological study.

PubMed

Kimura, Kenta; Katayama, Jun'ichi

2016-02-01

The present study examined whether or not a cooperative context is a determinant of the social influence on the evaluation of two action outcomes: a monetary outcome and a conflict of opinion with other group members. In the present study, three-person groups were randomly assigned to be either a cooperative or individual group and asked to perform a gambling task. The monetary outcomes in the cooperative group were interrelated among group members, whereas those in the individual group did not influence each other. The present results showed that monetary outcomes elicited feedback-related negativity (FRN) and a conflict of opinion with other group members elicited FRN-like negativity, which reflect an evaluation of the motivational significance of action outcomes. The FRN elicited by monetary outcomes was reduced when participants shared decisions with other group members only in the cooperative group, indicating that the cooperative context reduced the motivational significance of monetary outcomes through the diffusion of responsibility. The FRN-like negativity elicited by a conflict of opinion showed a different pattern between the cooperative and individual groups, indicating that the cooperative context can influence the evaluation of a conflict of opinion, possibly via the modulation of group cohesiveness or conflict processing. The present results suggest that a cooperative context, rather than the social setting, is a determinant of the social influence on outcome evaluation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heterogeneous investments promote cooperation in evolutionary public goods games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qun; Wang, Hanchen; Zhang, Zhuxi; Li, Yumeng; Liu, Yu; Perc, Matjaž

2018-07-01

The public goods game is widely accepted as a suitable theoretical paradigm for explaining collective cooperation. In this paper, we investigate the impact of heterogeneous investments on cooperation in groups, where the investment of one player to a particular group depends on the fraction of cooperators in that group. Our research reveals that the level of cooperation is significantly promoted as the level of heterogeneity in the investments increases. By studying the payoffs of players at the boundaries of cooperative clusters, we show that the positive effect on the evolution of cooperation can be attributed to the formation of clusters that are more robust against invading defectors. The presented results sharpen our understanding of cooperation in groups that are due to heterogeneity and related asymmetric influences on game dynamics.

Punishment in public goods games leads to meta-stable phase transitions and hysteresis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hintze, Arend; Adami, Christoph

2015-07-01

The evolution of cooperation has been a perennial problem in evolutionary biology because cooperation can be undermined by selfish cheaters who gain an advantage in the short run, while compromising the long-term viability of the population. Evolutionary game theory has shown that under certain conditions, cooperation nonetheless evolves stably, for example if players have the opportunity to punish cheaters that benefit from a public good yet refuse to pay into the common pool. However, punishment has remained enigmatic because it is costly and difficult to maintain. On the other hand, cooperation emerges naturally in the public goods game if the synergy of the public good (the factor multiplying the public good investment) is sufficiently high. In terms of this synergy parameter, the transition from defection to cooperation can be viewed as a phase transition with the synergy as the critical parameter. We show here that punishment reduces the critical value at which cooperation occurs, but also creates the possibility of meta-stable phase transitions, where populations can ‘tunnel’ into the cooperating phase below the critical value. At the same time, cooperating populations are unstable even above the critical value, because a group of defectors that are large enough can ‘nucleate’ such a transition. We study the mean-field theoretical predictions via agent-based simulations of finite populations using an evolutionary approach where the decisions to cooperate or to punish are encoded genetically in terms of evolvable probabilities. We recover the theoretical predictions and demonstrate that the population shows hysteresis, as expected in systems that exhibit super-heating and super-cooling. We conclude that punishment can stabilize populations of cooperators below the critical point, but it is a two-edged sword: it can also stabilize defectors above the critical point.

Parochial cooperation in nested intergroup dilemmas is reduced when it harms out-groups.

PubMed

Aaldering, Hillie; Ten Velden, Femke S; van Kleef, Gerben A; De Dreu, Carsten K W

2018-06-01

In intergroup settings, humans often contribute to their in-group at a personal cost. Such parochial cooperation benefits the in-group and creates and fuels intergroup conflict when it simultaneously hurts out-groups. Here, we introduce a new game paradigm in which individuals can display universal cooperation (which benefits both in- and out-group) as well as parochial cooperation that does, versus does not hurt the out-group. Using this set-up, we test hypotheses derived from group selection theory, social identity, and bounded generalized reciprocity theory. Across three experiments we find, first, that individuals choose parochial over universal cooperation. Second, there was no evidence for a motive to maximize differences between in- and out-group, which is central to both group selection and social identity theory. However, fitting bounded generalized reciprocity theory, we find that individuals with a prosocial value orientation display parochial cooperation, provided that this does not harm the out-group; individualists, in contrast, display parochialism whether or not nut it hurts the out-group. Our findings were insensitive to cognitive taxation (Experiments 2-3), and emerged even when universal cooperation served social welfare more than parochialism (Experiment 3). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Cooperative Solutions in Multi-Person Quadratic Decision Problems: Finite-Horizon and State-Feedback Cost-Cumulant Control Paradigm

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

CONTRACT NUMBER Problems: Finite -Horizon and State-Feedback Cost-Cumulant Control Paradigm (PREPRINT) 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...cooperative cost-cumulant control regime for the class of multi-person single-objective decision problems characterized by quadratic random costs and... finite -horizon integral quadratic cost associated with a linear stochastic system . Since this problem formation is parameterized by the number of cost

Heuristics for Cooperative Problem Solving

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-02-01

briefly, cooperation is a very common problem-solving technique in natural systems and occurs in a wide variety of animals ranging from termites and...primitive way with pheromones but sometimes more directly. As with social spiders, they show relatively primitive coordination of behavior. In spite

Qualitative Analysis of Collaborative Learning Groups in Large Enrollment Introductory Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skala, Chija; Slater, Timothy F.; Adams, Jeffrey P.

2000-08-01

Large-lecture introductory astronomy courses for undergraduate, non-science majors present numerous problems for faculty. As part of a systematic effort to improve the course learning environment, a series of small-group, collaborative learning activities were implemented in an otherwise conventional lecture astronomy survey course. These activities were used once each week during the regularly scheduled lecture period. After eight weeks, ten focus group interviews were conducted to qualitatively assess the impact and dynamics of these small group learning activities. Overall, the data strongly suggest that students enjoy participating in the in-class learning activities in learning teams of three to four students. These students firmly believe that they are learning more than they would from lectures alone. Inductive analysis of the transcripts revealed five major themes prevalent among the students' perspectives: (1) self-formed, cooperative group composition and formation should be more regulated by the instructor; (2) team members' assigned rolls should be less formally structured by the instructors; (3) cooperative groups helped in learning the course content; (4) time constraints on lectures and activities need to be more carefully aligned; and (5) gender issues can exist within the groups. These themes serve as a guide for instructors who are developing instructional interventions for large lecture courses.

Group bias in cooperative norm enforcement

PubMed Central

McAuliffe, Katherine; Dunham, Yarrow

2016-01-01

A hallmark of human social cognition is the tendency for both adults and children to favour members of their own groups. Critically, this in-group bias exerts a strong influence on cooperative decision-making: people (i) tend to share more with members of their in-group and (ii) differentially enforce fairness norms depending on the group membership of their interaction partners. But why do people show these group biases in cooperation? One possibility is that the enforcement of cooperative norm violations is an evolved mechanism supporting within-group cooperation (Norms-Focused Hypothesis). Alternatively, group bias in cooperation could be a by-product of more general affective preferences for in-group members (Mere Preferences Hypothesis). Here, we appraise evidence from studies of both adults and children with the goal of understanding whether one of these two accounts is better supported by existing data. While the pattern of evidence is complex, much of it is broadly consistent with the Mere Preferences Hypothesis and little is uniquely supportive of the Norms-Focused Hypothesis. We highlight possible reasons for this complexity and suggest ways that future work can continue to help us understand the important relationship between group bias and cooperation. PMID:26644592

"We've Got to Keep Meeting Like This": A Pilot Study Comparing Academic Performance in Shifting-Membership Cooperative Groups versus Stable-Membership Cooperative Groups in an Introductory-Level Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Alicia; Bush, Amy; Sanchagrin, Ken; Holland, Jonathon

2017-01-01

This study examined possible ways to increase student engagement in small sections of a large, introductory-level, required university course. Research shows that cooperative group learning boosts achievement through fostering better interpersonal relationships between students. Cooperative group learning is an evidence-based instructional…

76 FR 43347 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-20

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Diesel Aftertreatment Accelerated Aging Cycles--Heavy... Institute-- Cooperative Research Group on Diesel Aftertreatment Accelerated Aging Cycles--Heavy-Duty...

Relationship between Norm-internalization and Cooperation in N-person Prisoners' Dilemma Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, Mitsutaka

In this paper, I discuss the problems of ``order in social situations'' using a computer simulation of iterated N-person prisoners' dilemma game. It has been claimed that, in the case of the 2-person prisoners' dilemma, repetition of games and the reciprocal use of the ``tit-for-tat'' strategy promote the possibility of cooperation. However, in cases of N-person prisoners' dilemma where N is greater than 2, the logic does not work effectively. The most essential problem is so called ``sanctioning problems''. In this paper, firstly, I discuss the ``sanctioning problems'' which were introduced by Axelrod and Keohane in 1986. Based on the model formalized by Axelrod, I propose a new model, in which I added a mechanism of players' payoff changes in the Axelrod's model. I call this mechanism norm-internalization and call our model ``norm-internalization game''. Second, by using the model, I investigated the relationship between agents' norm-internalization (payoff-alternation) and the possibilities of cooperation. The results of computer simulation indicated that unequal distribution of cooperating norm and uniform distribution of sanctioning norm are more effective in establishing cooperation. I discuss the mathematical features and the implications of the results on social science.

What Do We Put in the Place of Ability Grouping? (When the Principal Asks).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harp, Bill

1989-01-01

Presents two alternatives to ability grouping--flexible grouping (based on students' level of independence as learners), and cooperative learning groups. Discusses the benefits of cooperative learning, and provides a sample cooperative learning lesson. (MM)

Implementation of cooperative learning through collaboration with foreign lecturer to improve students' understanding and soft skills in the course of drug delivery system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syukri, Yandi; Nugroho, Bambang Hernawan

2017-03-01

The course of Drug Delivery Systems is an elective that supports the development of new products in pharmaceutical industry. The existing learning process has been in the form of one-direction face-to-face lecturing. During the lecture, students find it difficult to follow or understand the materials, so they become passive. Also, class effectiveness is low because it cannot develop students' active participation during the learning process. To improve the learning outcomes and to achieve the desired competence, innovations in the learning process should be attempted. This learning model aimed to improve students' understanding of and soft skills in the course of Drug Delivery Systems through a cooperative learning method and collaboration with foreign lecturers. The order of cooperative learning included explaining the desired learning outcomes of each topic, providing reading materials for students to learn when preparing their papers, instructing students to work on group assignments and to help each other to master the lesson through question-answer sessions and discussions among group members, encouraging group presentations, and evaluating through quizzes. The foreign lecturers played a role in enriching teaching materials and providing an international class atmosphere. The students' hard skills assessed from the quiz, midterm exam, and final semester exam showed a minimum score of 70 > 80% in the quiz and final semester exam components, while the midterm exam value with a minimum of 70 > 80% was only 6%. The assessment of soft skills obtained from the students' independence in constructing knowledge to complete assignments and resolve problems indicated such outcomes as each group's better ability to access relevant journals, their active participation in group discussions, discipline to submit assignments, discipline to be punctual, and good communication skills. It can be concluded that cooperative learning method could improve the soft skills of students, and the role of foreign lecturers was successful in providing an international class atmosphere.

[Openness in the cooperation between physicians and private corporations].

PubMed

Jørgensen, Jørgen; Djurhuus, Jens Chr

2003-04-14

The past decades in Danish health services have been characterized by limited cooperation between health authorities, health employees, and private corporations. Today, society and legislature acknowledge the need to support this cooperation, which creates a great challenge to hospital management and its responsibility to create and secure strong research environments. This effort is often challenged by the tendency of the media to transform initial conflicts into problems of credibility. Society is also aware of the fact that increased cooperation is important to maintain the ability to develop new and better methods of treatment. It is therefore of vital importance to solve potential conflicts before the media interpret the problems, by encouraging openness in the cooperation between physicians and private corporations.

Spreading of cooperative behaviour across interdependent groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Luo-Luo; Perc, Matjaž

2013-08-01

Recent empirical research has shown that links between groups reinforce individuals within groups to adopt cooperative behaviour. Moreover, links between networks may induce cascading failures, competitive percolation, or contribute to efficient transportation. Here we show that there in fact exists an intermediate fraction of links between groups that is optimal for the evolution of cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma game. We consider individual groups with regular, random, and scale-free topology, and study their different combinations to reveal that an intermediate interdependence optimally facilitates the spreading of cooperative behaviour between groups. Excessive between-group links simply unify the two groups and make them act as one, while too rare between-group links preclude a useful information flow between the two groups. Interestingly, we find that between-group links are more likely to connect two cooperators than in-group links, thus supporting the conclusion that they are of paramount importance.

Climate-mediated cooperation promotes niche expansion in burying beetles.

PubMed

Sun, Syuan-Jyun; Rubenstein, Dustin R; Chen, Bo-Fei; Chan, Shih-Fan; Liu, Jian-Nan; Liu, Mark; Hwang, Wenbe; Yang, Ping-Shih; Shen, Sheng-Feng

2014-05-13

The ability to form cooperative societies may explain why humans and social insects have come to dominate the earth. Here we examine the ecological consequences of cooperation by quantifying the fitness of cooperative (large groups) and non-cooperative (small groups) phenotypes in burying beetles (Nicrophorus nepalensis) along an elevational and temperature gradient. We experimentally created large and small groups along the gradient and manipulated interspecific competition with flies by heating carcasses. We show that cooperative groups performed as thermal generalists with similarly high breeding success at all temperatures and elevations, whereas non-cooperative groups performed as thermal specialists with higher breeding success only at intermediate temperatures and elevations. Studying the ecological consequences of cooperation may not only help us to understand why so many species of social insects have conquered the earth, but also to determine how climate change will affect the success of these and other social species, including our own.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02440.001. Copyright © 2014, Sun et al.

Climate-mediated cooperation promotes niche expansion in burying beetles

PubMed Central

Sun, Syuan-Jyun; Rubenstein, Dustin R; Chen, Bo-Fei; Chan, Shih-Fan; Liu, Jian-Nan; Liu, Mark; Hwang, Wenbe; Yang, Ping-Shih; Shen, Sheng-Feng

2014-01-01

The ability to form cooperative societies may explain why humans and social insects have come to dominate the earth. Here we examine the ecological consequences of cooperation by quantifying the fitness of cooperative (large groups) and non-cooperative (small groups) phenotypes in burying beetles (Nicrophorus nepalensis) along an elevational and temperature gradient. We experimentally created large and small groups along the gradient and manipulated interspecific competition with flies by heating carcasses. We show that cooperative groups performed as thermal generalists with similarly high breeding success at all temperatures and elevations, whereas non-cooperative groups performed as thermal specialists with higher breeding success only at intermediate temperatures and elevations. Studying the ecological consequences of cooperation may not only help us to understand why so many species of social insects have conquered the earth, but also to determine how climate change will affect the success of these and other social species, including our own. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02440.001 PMID:24842999

Small Group Cooperative Curriculum and Experimental Evaluation; A Study of Cooperation Training. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloom, Joan R.; And Others

This report describes a project to test the effectiveness of a small-group curriculum designed to teach cooperative group work. The sample of 53 groups of boys and 47 groups of girls was assigned to one of three conditions: (a) established groups, (b) ad hoc groups, and (c) control condition groups. Groups who had training were predicted to choose…

Energy Efficiency of D2D Multi-User Cooperation.

PubMed

Zhang, Zufan; Wang, Lu; Zhang, Jie

2017-03-28

The Device-to-Device (D2D) communication system is an important part of heterogeneous networks. It has great potential to improve spectrum efficiency, throughput and energy efficiency cooperation of multiple D2D users with the advantage of direct communication. When cooperating, D2D users expend extraordinary energy to relay data to other D2D users. Hence, the remaining energy of D2D users determines the life of the system. This paper proposes a cooperation scheme for multiple D2D users who reuse the orthogonal spectrum and are interested in the same data by aiming to solve the energy problem of D2D users. Considering both energy availability and the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of each D2D user, the Kuhn-Munkres algorithm is introduced in the cooperation scheme to solve relay selection problems. Thus, the cooperation issue is transformed into a maximum weighted matching (MWM) problem. In order to enhance energy efficiency without the deterioration of Quality of Service (QoS), the link outage probability is derived according to the Shannon Equation by considering the data rate and delay. The simulation studies the relationships among the number of cooperative users, the length of shared data, the number of data packets and energy efficiency.

Labor-Management Cooperation: The American Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegel, Irving H.; Weinberg, Edgar

This book examines the wide range of opportunities, the attendant problems, and the potential benefits of labor-management cooperation. Cooperative arrangements are considered at different economic levels, and 65 cases are discussed. The first of 10 chapters sets up a conceptual framework for the review of American experience in cooperation.…

75 FR 14191 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-24

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group On: Diesel After Treatment Accelerated Aging Cycles--Heavy... Institute--Cooperative Research Group on Diesel After Treatment Accelerated Aging Cycles--Heavy-Duty...

Political Ideology, Trust, and Cooperation

PubMed Central

Balliet, Daniel; Tybur, Joshua M.; Wu, Junhui; Antonellis, Christian; Van Lange, Paul A. M.

2016-01-01

Theories suggest that political ideology relates to cooperation, with conservatives being more likely to pursue selfish outcomes, and liberals more likely to pursue egalitarian outcomes. In study 1, we examine how political ideology and political party affiliation (Republican vs. Democrat) predict cooperation with a partner who self-identifies as Republican or Democrat in two samples before (n = 362) and after (n = 366) the 2012 US presidential election. Liberals show slightly more concern for their partners’ outcomes compared to conservatives (study 1), and in study 2 this relation is supported by a meta-analysis (r = .15). However, in study 1, political ideology did not relate to cooperation in general. Both Republicans and Democrats extend more cooperation to their in-group relative to the out-group, and this is explained by expectations of cooperation from in-group versus out-group members. We discuss the relation between political ideology and cooperation within and between groups. PMID:29593363

Variable investment, the Continuous Prisoner's Dilemma, and the origin of cooperation.

PubMed

Killingback, T; Doebeli, M; Knowlton, N

1999-09-07

Cooperation is fundamental to many biological systems. A common metaphor for studying the evolution of cooperation is the Prisoner's Dilemma, a game with two strategies: cooperate or defect. However, cooperation is rare all or nothing, and its evolution probably involves the gradual extension of initially modest degrees of assistance. The inability of the Prisoner's Dilemma to capture this basic aspect limits its use for understanding the evolutionary origins of cooperation. Here we consider a framework for cooperation based on the concept of investment: an act which is costly, but which benefits other individuals, where the cost and benefit depend on the level of investment made. In the resulting Continuous Prisoner's Dilemma the essential problem of cooperation remains: in the absence of any additional structure non-zero levels of investment cannot evolve. However, if investments are considered in a spatially structured context, selfish individuals who make arbitrarily low investments can be invaded by higher-investing mutants. This results in the mean level of investment evolving to significant levels, where it is maintained indefinitely. This approach provides a natural solution to the fundamental problem of how cooperation gradually increases from a non-cooperative state.

Political Ideology, Trust, and Cooperation: In-group Favoritism among Republicans and Democrats during a US National Election.

PubMed

Balliet, Daniel; Tybur, Joshua M; Wu, Junhui; Antonellis, Christian; Van Lange, Paul A M

2018-04-01

Theories suggest that political ideology relates to cooperation, with conservatives being more likely to pursue selfish outcomes, and liberals more likely to pursue egalitarian outcomes. In study 1, we examine how political ideology and political party affiliation (Republican vs. Democrat) predict cooperation with a partner who self-identifies as Republican or Democrat in two samples before ( n = 362) and after ( n = 366) the 2012 US presidential election. Liberals show slightly more concern for their partners' outcomes compared to conservatives (study 1), and in study 2 this relation is supported by a meta-analysis ( r = .15). However, in study 1, political ideology did not relate to cooperation in general. Both Republicans and Democrats extend more cooperation to their in-group relative to the out-group, and this is explained by expectations of cooperation from in-group versus out-group members. We discuss the relation between political ideology and cooperation within and between groups.

Group Size Effect on Cooperation in One-Shot Social Dilemmas II: Curvilinear Effect.

PubMed

Capraro, Valerio; Barcelo, Hélène

2015-01-01

In a world in which many pressing global issues require large scale cooperation, understanding the group size effect on cooperative behavior is a topic of central importance. Yet, the nature of this effect remains largely unknown, with lab experiments insisting that it is either positive or negative or null, and field experiments suggesting that it is instead curvilinear. Here we shed light on this apparent contradiction by considering a novel class of public goods games inspired to the realistic scenario in which the natural output limits of the public good imply that the benefit of cooperation increases fast for early contributions and then decelerates. We report on a large lab experiment providing evidence that, in this case, group size has a curvilinear effect on cooperation, according to which intermediate-size groups cooperate more than smaller groups and more than larger groups. In doing so, our findings help fill the gap between lab experiments and field experiments and suggest concrete ways to promote large scale cooperation among people.

Application of decentralized cooperative problem solving in dynamic flexible scheduling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Zai-Lin; Lei, Ming; Wu, Bo; Wu, Ya; Yang, Shuzi

1995-08-01

The object of this study is to discuss an intelligent solution to the problem of task-allocation in shop floor scheduling. For this purpose, the technique of distributed artificial intelligence (DAI) is applied. Intelligent agents (IAs) are used to realize decentralized cooperation, and negotiation is realized by using message passing based on the contract net model. Multiple agents, such as manager agents, workcell agents, and workstation agents, make game-like decisions based on multiple criteria evaluations. This procedure of decentralized cooperative problem solving makes local scheduling possible. And by integrating such multiple local schedules, dynamic flexible scheduling for the whole shop floor production can be realized.

Group Cooperation without Group Selection: Modest Punishment Can Recruit Much Cooperation.

PubMed

Krasnow, Max M; Delton, Andrew W; Cosmides, Leda; Tooby, John

2015-01-01

Humans everywhere cooperate in groups to achieve benefits not attainable by individuals. Individual effort is often not automatically tied to a proportionate share of group benefits. This decoupling allows for free-riding, a strategy that (absent countermeasures) outcompetes cooperation. Empirically and formally, punishment potentially solves the evolutionary puzzle of group cooperation. Nevertheless, standard analyses appear to show that punishment alone is insufficient, because second-order free riders (those who cooperate but do not punish) can be shown to outcompete punishers. Consequently, many have concluded that other processes, such as cultural or genetic group selection, are required. Here, we present a series of agent-based simulations that show that group cooperation sustained by punishment easily evolves by individual selection when you introduce into standard models more biologically plausible assumptions about the social ecology and psychology of ancestral humans. We relax three unrealistic assumptions of past models. First, past models assume all punishers must punish every act of free riding in their group. We instead allow punishment to be probabilistic, meaning punishers can evolve to only punish some free riders some of the time. This drastically lowers the cost of punishment as group size increases. Second, most models unrealistically do not allow punishment to recruit labor; punishment merely reduces the punished agent's fitness. We instead realistically allow punished free riders to cooperate in the future to avoid punishment. Third, past models usually restrict agents to interact in a single group their entire lives. We instead introduce realistic social ecologies in which agents participate in multiple, partially overlapping groups. Because of this, punitive tendencies are more expressed and therefore more exposed to natural selection. These three moves toward greater model realism reveal that punishment and cooperation easily evolve by direct selection--even in sizeable groups.

Group Cooperation without Group Selection: Modest Punishment Can Recruit Much Cooperation

PubMed Central

Cosmides, Leda; Tooby, John

2015-01-01

Humans everywhere cooperate in groups to achieve benefits not attainable by individuals. Individual effort is often not automatically tied to a proportionate share of group benefits. This decoupling allows for free-riding, a strategy that (absent countermeasures) outcompetes cooperation. Empirically and formally, punishment potentially solves the evolutionary puzzle of group cooperation. Nevertheless, standard analyses appear to show that punishment alone is insufficient, because second-order free riders (those who cooperate but do not punish) can be shown to outcompete punishers. Consequently, many have concluded that other processes, such as cultural or genetic group selection, are required. Here, we present a series of agent-based simulations that show that group cooperation sustained by punishment easily evolves by individual selection when you introduce into standard models more biologically plausible assumptions about the social ecology and psychology of ancestral humans. We relax three unrealistic assumptions of past models. First, past models assume all punishers must punish every act of free riding in their group. We instead allow punishment to be probabilistic, meaning punishers can evolve to only punish some free riders some of the time. This drastically lowers the cost of punishment as group size increases. Second, most models unrealistically do not allow punishment to recruit labor; punishment merely reduces the punished agent’s fitness. We instead realistically allow punished free riders to cooperate in the future to avoid punishment. Third, past models usually restrict agents to interact in a single group their entire lives. We instead introduce realistic social ecologies in which agents participate in multiple, partially overlapping groups. Because of this, punitive tendencies are more expressed and therefore more exposed to natural selection. These three moves toward greater model realism reveal that punishment and cooperation easily evolve by direct selection—even in sizeable groups. PMID:25893241

A Lyapunov-Based Approach for Time-Coordinated 3D Path-Following of Multiple Quadrotors

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

presented in [10] as solutions for accommodating the nonlinear disturbances for outdoor altitude control . Finally, in [11] a trajectory- tracking ... control algorithm is formulated using the Special Orthogonal group SO(3) for attitude representation, leading to a simple and singularity-free solution for...the trajectory tracking problem. Cooperation between multiple unmanned vehicles has also received significant attention in the control community in

Early dyadic patterns of mother-infant interactions and outcomes of prematurity at 18 months.

PubMed

Forcada-Guex, Margarita; Pierrehumbert, Blaise; Borghini, Ayala; Moessinger, Adrien; Muller-Nix, Carole

2006-07-01

With the increased survival of very preterm infants, there is a growing concern for their developmental and socioemotional outcomes. The quality of the early mother-infant relationship has been noted as 1 of the factors that may exacerbate or soften the potentially adverse impact of preterm birth, particularly concerning the infant's later competencies and development. The first purpose of the study was to identify at 6 months of corrected age whether there were specific dyadic mother-infant patterns of interaction in preterm as compared with term mother-infant dyads. The second purpose was to examine the potential impact of these dyadic patterns on the infant's behavioral and developmental outcomes at 18 months of corrected age. During a 12-month period (January-December 1998), all preterm infants who were <34 weeks of gestational age and hospitalized at the NICU of the Lausanne University Hospital were considered for inclusion in this longitudinal prospective follow-up study. Control healthy term infants were recruited during the same period from the maternity ward of our hospital. Mother-infant dyads with preterm infants (n = 47) and term infants (n = 25) were assessed at 6 months of corrected age during a mother-infant play interaction and coded according to the Care Index. This instrument evaluates the mother's interactional behavior according to 3 scales (sensitivity, control, and unresponsiveness) and the child's interactional behavior according to 4 scales (cooperation, compliance, difficult, and passivity). At 18 months, behavioral outcomes of the children were assessed on the basis of a semistructured interview of the mother, the Symptom Check List. The Symptom Check List explores 4 groups of behavioral symptoms: sleeping problems, eating problems, psychosomatic symptoms, and behavioral and emotional disorders. At the same age, developmental outcomes were evaluated using the Griffiths Developmental Scales. Five areas were evaluated: locomotor, personal-social, hearing and speech, eye-hand coordination, and performance. Among the possible dyadic patterns of interaction, 2 patterns emerge recurrently in mother-infant preterm dyads: a "cooperative pattern" with a sensitive mother and a cooperative-responsive infant (28%) and a "controlling pattern" with a controlling mother and a compulsive-compliant infant (28%). The remaining 44% form a heterogeneous group that gathers all of the other preterm dyads and is composed of 1 sensitive mother-passive infant; 10 controlling mothers with a cooperative, difficult, or passive infant; and 10 unresponsive mothers with a cooperative, difficult, or passive infant. Among the term control subjects, 68% of the dyads are categorized as cooperative pattern dyads, 12% as controlling pattern dyads, and the 20% remaining as heterogeneous dyads. At 18 months, preterm infants of cooperative pattern dyads have similar outcomes as the term control infants. Preterm infants of controlling pattern dyads have significantly fewer positive outcomes as compared with preterm infants of cooperative pattern dyads, as well as compared with term control infants. They display significantly more behavioral symptoms than term infants, including more eating problems than term infants as well as infants from cooperative preterm dyads. Infants of the controlling preterm dyads do not differ significantly for the total development quotient but have worse personal-social development than term infants and worse hearing-speech development than infants from cooperative preterm dyads. The preterm infants of the heterogeneous group have outcomes that can be considered as intermediate with no significant differences compared with preterm infants from the cooperative pattern or the controlling pattern dyads. Among mother-preterm infant dyads, we identified 2 specific patterns of interaction that could play either a protective (cooperative pattern) or a risk-precipitating (controlling pattern) role on developmental and behavioral outcome, independent of perinatal risk factors and of the family's socioeconomic background. The controlling pattern is much more prevalent among preterm than term dyads and is related to a less favorable infant outcome. However, the cooperative pattern still represents almost 30% of the preterm dyads, with infants' outcome comparable to the ones of term infants. These results point out the impact of the quality of mother-infant relationship on the infant's outcome. The most important clinical implication should be to support a healthy parent-infant relationship already in the NICU but also in the first months of the infant's life. Early individualized family-based interventions during neonatal hospitalization and transition to home have been shown to reduce maternal stress and depression and increase maternal self-esteem and to improve positive early parent-preterm infant interactions.

Development of a problem - based learning (PBL) and cooperative learning (CL) transportation engineering course For undergraduate students.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-08-01

This study reports the findings of a project that was done during the implementation of a : problem-based learning (PBL) and cooperative learning (CL) elements into an : undergraduate transportation engineering course. The study procedure used the st...

Effects of dynamical grouping on cooperation in N-person evolutionary snowdrift game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, M.; Xu, C.; Hui, P. M.

2011-09-01

A population typically consists of agents that continually distribute themselves into different groups at different times. This dynamic grouping has recently been shown to be essential in explaining many features observed in human activities including social, economic, and military activities. We study the effects of dynamic grouping on the level of cooperation in a modified evolutionary N-person snowdrift game. Due to the formation of dynamical groups, the competition takes place in groups of different sizes at different times and players of different strategies are mixed by the grouping dynamics. It is found that the level of cooperation is greatly enhanced by the dynamic grouping of agents, when compared with a static population of the same size. As a parameter β, which characterizes the relative importance of the reward and cost, increases, the fraction of cooperative players fC increases and it is possible to achieve a fully cooperative state. Analytically, we present a dynamical equation that incorporates the effects of the competing game and group size distribution. The distribution of cooperators in different groups is assumed to be a binomial distribution, which is confirmed by simulations. Results from the analytic equation are in good agreement with numerical results from simulations. We also present detailed simulation results of fC over the parameter space spanned by the probabilities of group coalescence νm and group fragmentation νp in the grouping dynamics. A high νm and low νp promotes cooperation, and a favorable reward characterized by a high β would lead to a fully cooperative state.

Strategies to Increase Participation in Cooperative Learning Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maher, Laura

2010-01-01

This action research examines how focused organization, group roles, and gender grouping impact student participation when working in a cooperative group setting. Fifty-two sixth graders were studied for a period of nine weeks. Results show when students are organized in their cooperative groups, there will be an increase in student participation.…

Monogamy, strongly bonded groups, and the evolution of human social structure.

PubMed

Chapais, Bernard

2013-01-01

Human social evolution has most often been treated in a piecemeal fashion, with studies focusing on the evolution of specific components of human society such as pair-bonding, cooperative hunting, male provisioning, grandmothering, cooperative breeding, food sharing, male competition, male violence, sexual coercion, territoriality, and between-group conflicts. Evolutionary models about any one of those components are usually concerned with two categories of questions, one relating to the origins of the component and the other to its impact on the evolution of human cognition and social life. Remarkably few studies have been concerned with the evolution of the entity that integrates all components, the human social system itself. That social system has as its core feature human social structure, which I define here as the common denominator of all human societies in terms of group composition, mating system, residence patterns, and kinship structures. The paucity of information on the evolution of human social structure poses substantial problems because that information is useful, if not essential, to assess both the origins and impact of any particular aspect of human society. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Advances in Risk Classification and Treatment Strategies for Neuroblastoma

PubMed Central

Pinto, Navin R.; Applebaum, Mark A.; Volchenboum, Samuel L.; Matthay, Katherine K.; London, Wendy B.; Ambros, Peter F.; Nakagawara, Akira; Berthold, Frank; Schleiermacher, Gudrun; Park, Julie R.; Valteau-Couanet, Dominique; Pearson, Andrew D.J.

2015-01-01

Risk-based treatment approaches for neuroblastoma have been ongoing for decades. However, the criteria used to define risk in various institutional and cooperative groups were disparate, limiting the ability to compare clinical trial results. To mitigate this problem and enhance collaborative research, homogenous pretreatment patient cohorts have been defined by the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group classification system. During the past 30 years, increasingly intensive, multimodality approaches have been developed to treat patients who are classified as high risk, whereas patients with low- or intermediate-risk neuroblastoma have received reduced therapy. This treatment approach has resulted in improved outcome, although survival for high-risk patients remains poor, emphasizing the need for more effective treatments. Increased knowledge regarding the biology and genetic basis of neuroblastoma has led to the discovery of druggable targets and promising, new therapeutic approaches. Collaborative efforts of institutions and international cooperative groups have led to advances in our understanding of neuroblastoma biology, refinements in risk classification, and stratified treatment strategies, resulting in improved outcome. International collaboration will be even more critical when evaluating therapies designed to treat small cohorts of patients with rare actionable mutations. PMID:26304901

Collective action and the collaborative brain

PubMed Central

Gavrilets, Sergey

2015-01-01

Humans are unique both in their cognitive abilities and in the extent of cooperation in large groups of unrelated individuals. How our species evolved high intelligence in spite of various costs of having a large brain is perplexing. Equally puzzling is how our ancestors managed to overcome the collective action problem and evolve strong innate preferences for cooperative behaviour. Here, I theoretically study the evolution of social-cognitive competencies as driven by selection emerging from the need to produce public goods in games against nature or in direct competition with other groups. I use collaborative ability in collective actions as a proxy for social-cognitive competencies. My results suggest that collaborative ability is more likely to evolve first by between-group conflicts and then later be utilized and improved in games against nature. If collaborative abilities remain low, the species is predicted to become genetically dimorphic with a small proportion of individuals contributing to public goods and the rest free-riding. Evolution of collaborative ability creates conditions for the subsequent evolution of collaborative communication and cultural learning. PMID:25551149

75 FR 62569 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-12

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on High Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II Notice is...--Cooperative Research Group on High-Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II, (``HEDGE II'') has filed written...

75 FR 4423 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-27

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on High Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II Notice is...--Cooperative Research Group on High-Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II, (``HEDGE II'') has filed written...

75 FR 14192 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-24

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on High-Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II Notice is...--Cooperative Research Group on High-Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II (``HEDGE II'') has filed written...

[Recommendations for overcoming interface problems in medical rehabilitation of federal pension funds and statutory health insurance].

PubMed

Pohontsch, N; Träder, J-M; Scherer, M; Deck, R

2013-10-01

Interface problems in medical rehabilitation are a consequence of problems with communication and cooperation, lack of information and transparency. Different stakeholders are trying to solve these problems since many years or decades respectively. Following a series of deficit-oriented studies we tried to develop recommendations for possible solutions of important interface problems together with affected people based on a qualitative analysis of main problem areas. 10 separate group discussions with rehabilitation patients, general practitioners and specialists in private practices, representatives of the federal pension fund and statutory health insurance as well as clinicians from rehabilitation clinics and 3 mixed group discussions (all before mentioned groups excluding rehabilitation patients) were conducted. These group discussions served to prepare a semidiurnal final conference. All meetings were recorded and content analyzed or summarized in protocols respectively. Results are recommendations on strategies to reduce interface problems in medical rehabilitation. Those are: development of a rehabilitation-information-website for insurees and general practitioners and specialists in private practices; changes in forms, applications, notifications; advanced training for general practitioners and specialists in private practices und support in detecting rehabilitation need. Due to divided structures of care provision and increasing specialization, overcoming interface problems is one of the main challenges in the provision of medical rehabilitation. It can be met if different stakeholder approach each other without prejudices, share instead of demarcate competencies and are willing to strike new paths. Our recommendations represent the first step to reaching this goal. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Improving the Cooperation Rate of Older Adults and Their Caregivers in Research Surveys.

PubMed

Green, Ohad; Ayalon, Liat

2015-01-01

Recruiting older adults, their family members and their home care workers as participants in research studies is particularly complicated. This might be due to medical or cognitive problems of the older adult as well as the high workload and shortage of time experienced by caregivers. The present study compared the contribution of two different versions of an advanced letter followed by two different versions of a recruitment phone call to the cooperation rate of older adults, family caregivers and home care workers in a face-to-face survey. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the contribution of the different types of appeal. A total of 2,014 caregiving units (composed of an older adult, a family member and a home care worker) were randomly sampled from a list of Israeli long-term care insurance beneficiaries. 74.32% of the sampled caregiving units were eligible to participate in the study. The first group of participants received formal and succinctly phrased written and oral appeals - an advanced letter followed by a recruitment phone call. The second group of participants received the original formal and succinctly phrased advanced letter, but a revised recruitment phone call that included a more personal approach, the provision of broader information about the study and the avoidance of words with a possible negative connotation. The third group of participants received both a revised advanced letter and a revised recruitment phone call. Using the succinctly phrased written and oral appeals, we had a cooperation rate of about 50% for the entire caregiving unit. Using a revised advanced letter and a revised recruitment phone call yielded an increase of 20-25% in the cooperation rate for the entire caregiving unit. Using the revised recruitment phone call and the original advanced letter yielded an increase in the cooperation rate only among migrant home care workers. This study showed that by changing the format of appeal we can increase the cooperation rate of older adults and their caregivers in a research survey. This study also pointed out the importance of the advanced letter. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Cooperative Games: A Pathway to Improving Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, J. Matthew

1999-01-01

Cooperative games program was conducted with second graders who had a previous problem with low cooperative skills and excluding children. These games are a viable intervention for counselors to promote cooperation, fun, good health, and positive social interaction. A shift in attitude was observed during the program, as well as an improvement in…

Cooperative Learning and Middle Schools: What Would It Take to Really Do It Right?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sapon-Shevin, Mara

1994-01-01

The article identifies some of the problems with current cooperative-learning strategies and implementation, links those limitations to both the wider cooperative-learning movement and the nature of middle schools, and calls for conceptualizing and structuring cooperative learning within a much larger educational, social, economic, and political…

Non-Formal Education and Farm Cooperatives in West Africa. Occasional Paper #8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belloncle, Guy

Although failures have been encountered in the West African cooperative movement, farm cooperatives are an indispensable tool for rural development. They can generate an investment budget at the village level and can provide a stimulating framework for education. The Senegalese farm cooperative movement has experienced a number of problems. Three…

Resource and competitive dynamics shape the benefits of public goods cooperation in a plant pathogen

PubMed Central

Platt, Thomas G.; Fuqua, Clay; Bever, James D.

2012-01-01

Cooperative benefits depend on a variety of ecological factors. Many cooperative bacteria increase the population size of their groups by making a public good available. Increased local population size can alleviate the constraints of kin competition on the evolution of cooperation by enhancing the between-group fitness of cooperators. The cooperative pathogenesis of Agrobacterium tumefaciens causes infected plants to exude opines—resources that provide a nearly exclusive source of nutrient for the pathogen. We experimentally demonstrate that opines provide cooperative A. tumefaciens cells a within-group fitness advantage over saprophytic agrobacteria. Our results are congruent with a resource-consumer competition model, which predicts that cooperative, virulent agrobacteria are at a competitive disadvantage when opines are unavailable, but have an advantage when opines are available at sufficient levels. This model also predicts that freeloading agrobacteria that catabolize opines but cannot infect plants competitively displace the cooperative pathogen from all environments. However, we show that these cooperative public goods also promote increased local population size. A model built from the Price Equation shows that this effect on group size can contribute to the persistence of cooperative pathogenesis despite inherent kin competition for the benefits of pathogenesis. PMID:22671559

The effect of mathematical model development on the instruction of acceleration to introductory physics students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauer, Tim Allen

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of utilizing student constructed theoretical math models when teaching acceleration to high school introductory physics students. The goal of the study was for the students to be able to utilize mathematical modeling strategies to improve their problem solving skills, as well as their standardized scientific and conceptual understanding. This study was based on mathematical modeling research, conceptual change research and constructivist theory of learning, all of which suggest that mathematical modeling is an effective way to influence students' conceptual connectiveness and sense making of formulaic equations and problem solving. A total of 48 students in two sections of high school introductory physics classes received constructivist, inquiry-based, cooperative learning, and conceptual change-oriented instruction. The difference in the instruction for the 24 students in the mathematical modeling treatment group was that they constructed every formula they needed to solve problems from data they collected. In contrast, the instructional design for the control group of 24 students allowed the same instruction with assigned problems solved with formulas given to them without explanation. The results indicated that the mathematical modeling students were able to solve less familiar and more complicated problems with greater confidence and mental flexibility than the control group students. The mathematical modeling group maintained fewer alternative conceptions consistently in the interviews than did the control group. The implications for acceleration instruction from these results were discussed.

75 FR 4440 - Meeting of the Working group on Environmental Cooperation Pursuant to the United States-Morocco...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-27

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 6885] Meeting of the Working group on Environmental Cooperation... meeting of the Working Group on Environmental Cooperation (``Working Group'') in Rabat, Morocco on February 9, 2010, at a venue to be announced. Meetings of the Working Group were forecast in paragraph five...

Probabilistic sharing solves the problem of costly punishment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaojie; Szolnoki, Attila; Perc, Matjaž

2014-08-01

Cooperators that refuse to participate in sanctioning defectors create the second-order free-rider problem. Such cooperators will not be punished because they contribute to the public good, but they also eschew the costs associated with punishing defectors. Altruistic punishers—those that cooperate and punish—are at a disadvantage, and it is puzzling how such behaviour has evolved. We show that sharing the responsibility to sanction defectors rather than relying on certain individuals to do so permanently can solve the problem of costly punishment. Inspired by the fact that humans have strong but also emotional tendencies for fair play, we consider probabilistic sanctioning as the simplest way of distributing the duty. In well-mixed populations the public goods game is transformed into a coordination game with full cooperation and defection as the two stable equilibria, while in structured populations pattern formation supports additional counterintuitive solutions that are reminiscent of Parrondo's paradox.

Beneficial laggards: multilevel selection, cooperative polymorphism and division of labour in threshold public good games

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The origin and stability of cooperation is a hot topic in social and behavioural sciences. A complicated conundrum exists as defectors have an advantage over cooperators, whenever cooperation is costly so consequently, not cooperating pays off. In addition, the discovery that humans and some animal populations, such as lions, are polymorphic, where cooperators and defectors stably live together -- while defectors are not being punished--, is even more puzzling. Here we offer a novel explanation based on a Threshold Public Good Game (PGG) that includes the interaction of individual and group level selection, where individuals can contribute to multiple collective actions, in our model group hunting and group defense. Results Our results show that there are polymorphic equilibria in Threshold PGGs; that multi-level selection does not select for the most cooperators per group but selects those close to the optimum number of cooperators (in terms of the Threshold PGG). In particular for medium cost values division of labour evolves within the group with regard to the two types of cooperative actions (hunting vs. defense). Moreover we show evidence that spatial population structure promotes cooperation in multiple PGGs. We also demonstrate that these results apply for a wide range of non-linear benefit function types. Conclusions We demonstrate that cooperation can be stable in Threshold PGG, even when the proportion of so called free riders is high in the population. A fundamentally new mechanism is proposed how laggards, individuals that have a high tendency to defect during one specific group action can actually contribute to the fitness of the group, by playing part in an optimal resource allocation in Threshold Public Good Games. In general, our results show that acknowledging a multilevel selection process will open up novel explanations for collective actions. PMID:21044340

Altruism Can Proliferate through Population Viscosity despite High Random Gene Flow

PubMed Central

Schonmann, Roberto H.; Vicente, Renato; Caticha, Nestor

2013-01-01

The ways in which natural selection can allow the proliferation of cooperative behavior have long been seen as a central problem in evolutionary biology. Most of the literature has focused on interactions between pairs of individuals and on linear public goods games. This emphasis has led to the conclusion that even modest levels of migration would pose a serious problem to the spread of altruism through population viscosity in group structured populations. Here we challenge this conclusion, by analyzing evolution in a framework which allows for complex group interactions and random migration among groups. We conclude that contingent forms of strong altruism that benefits equally all group members, regardless of kinship and without greenbeard effects, can spread when rare under realistic group sizes and levels of migration, due to the assortment of genes resulting only from population viscosity. Our analysis combines group-centric and gene-centric perspectives, allows for arbitrary strength of selection, and leads to extensions of Hamilton’s rule for the spread of altruistic alleles, applicable under broad conditions. PMID:23991035

The implementation of multiple intelligences based teaching model to improve mathematical problem solving ability for student of junior high school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fasni, Nurli; Fatimah, Siti; Yulanda, Syerli

2017-05-01

This research aims to achieve some purposes such as: to know whether mathematical problem solving ability of students who have learned mathematics using Multiple Intelligences based teaching model is higher than the student who have learned mathematics using cooperative learning; to know the improvement of the mathematical problem solving ability of the student who have learned mathematics using Multiple Intelligences based teaching model., to know the improvement of the mathematical problem solving ability of the student who have learned mathematics using cooperative learning; to know the attitude of the students to Multiple Intelligences based teaching model. The method employed here is quasi-experiment which is controlled by pre-test and post-test. The population of this research is all of VII grade in SMP Negeri 14 Bandung even-term 2013/2014, later on two classes of it were taken for the samples of this research. A class was taught using Multiple Intelligences based teaching model and the other one was taught using cooperative learning. The data of this research were gotten from the test in mathematical problem solving, scale questionnaire of the student attitudes, and observation. The results show the mathematical problem solving of the students who have learned mathematics using Multiple Intelligences based teaching model learning is higher than the student who have learned mathematics using cooperative learning, the mathematical problem solving ability of the student who have learned mathematics using cooperative learning and Multiple Intelligences based teaching model are in intermediate level, and the students showed the positive attitude in learning mathematics using Multiple Intelligences based teaching model. As for the recommendation for next author, Multiple Intelligences based teaching model can be tested on other subject and other ability.

Population problems in Austronesia.

PubMed

Hull, T H

1986-11-01

The author examines population issues facing countries in Oceania and Southeastern Asia. "Analysis is based on recently released population projections from the United Nations Population Division. There are great differences among the countries.... There are nonetheless important areas of commonality: all nations are facing the problem of raising levels of schooling in line with parents' aspirations and economic needs, all face problems of caring for a rising proportion of aged, and all have difficulties with the monitoring and control of international migration. Also, since minority groups in many countries are majority polities in neighbouring states, there is potential for establishing international dialogues aimed at relieving internal tensions." Consideration is given to the role of Australia in promoting international cooperation to deal with these issues. excerpt

Cooperative Learning in Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slavin, Robert E.

2015-01-01

Cooperative learning refers to instructional methods in which students work in small groups to help each other learn. Although cooperative learning methods are used for different age groups, they are particularly popular in elementary (primary) schools. This article discusses methods and theoretical perspectives on cooperative learning for the…

JPRS Report, Science & Technology, USSR: Science & Technology Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-15

opment of theoretical and applied research in the field of cybernetic science was an unrealized dream . It did not receive support among the leaders... dream . Cooperative works with foreign organizations have made it possible to relieve the urgency of some problems, but one must not in all questions...Belonging to the first group, for example, is telepathy —the transmission of informa- tion from a human agent to the human percipient, who is isolated

The Problem of Regional Educational Service Centers in the United States of America with Special Reference to the Seventh-Day Adventist School System. A Descriptive Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Richard K.

The basic purpose of this study was to find ways and means to improve the educational system of the Seventh Day Adventist church and to render practical information to other church groups and public institutions. Utilizing data collected via mail or personal contact with service centers, the media phases of cooperative and/or regional programs…

National Consultation on Safety and Force: An Opportunity for Police-Minority Community Cooperation (Silver Spring, Maryland, December 11-13, 1979). Summary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Community Relations Service.

This report presents the proceedings of a conference held to examine the relationship between the police and minority groups with a focus on the problem of police use of excessive force. Successful community-police efforts to increase safety and reduce the use of force are described in case studies from four cities. Also presented are the texts of…

JPRS Report, Soviet Union. World Economy & International Relations, No. 12, December 1988.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-18

conditions of scientific and technological progress is considered to be the main factor influencing such process. Leading companies are trying to...departments, groups etc. Project teams are widely used when a new kind of product is developed or when R and D or technological problems are to be...medium-sized partners are integrated into a single scientific and technological entity by big companies. Cooperation in production is also important

Cooperation, Social Responsibility & Other Skills: Using the 4 Conditions of Self-Esteem in Elementary and Middle Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bean, Reynold

This book is about the relationship between cooperation and social responsibility and children's self-esteem. This book shows teachers how to teach children skills that aid cooperation and social responsibility. Chapter 1 examines the problems with competitive and individualistic teaching strategies. Cooperation is explored in greater detail in…

Effects of "Handep" Cooperative Learning Based on Indigenous Knowledge on Mathematical Problem Solving Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demitra; Sarjoko

2018-01-01

Indigenous people of Dayak tribe in Kalimantan, Indonesia have traditionally relied on a system of mutual cooperation called "handep." The cultural context has an influence on students mathematics learning. The "handep" system might be suitable for modern learning situations to develop mathematical problem-solving skill. The…

Learning on the Job: Cooperative Education, Internships and Engineering Problem-Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yin, Alexander C.

2009-01-01

Cooperative education (co-op) and internships are forms of experiential education that allow students to complement their classroom experiences with work experience. This study examines the influence of co-op and internships on engineering problem-solving skills by answering the following research questions: (1) Does experience in cooperative…

Effectiveness of Computer-Assisted STAD Cooperative Learning Strategy on Physics Problem Solving, Achievement and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gambari, Amosa Isiaka; Yusuf, Mudasiru Olalere

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of computer-assisted Students' Team Achievement Division (STAD) cooperative learning strategy on physics problem solving, students' achievement and retention. It also examined if the student performance would vary with gender. Purposive sampling technique was used to select two senior secondary schools…

Restorative Justice Practice: Cooperative Problem-Solving in New Zealand's Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drewery, Wendy

2013-01-01

This article links capability for cooperative problem-solving with socially just global development. From the perspective of the United Nations Development Programme, the work of global development, founded on a concept of global justice, is capability-building. Following Kurasawa, the article proposes that this form of global justice is enacted…

Evolution of cooperation on complex networks with synergistic and discounted group interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Lei; Li, Aming; Wang, Long

2015-06-01

In the real world individuals often engage in group interactions and their payoffs are determined by many factors, including the typical nonlinear interactions, i.e., synergy and discounting. Previous literatures assume that individual payoffs are either synergistically enhanced or discounted with the additional cooperators. Such settings ignore the interplay of these two factors, which is in sharp contrast with the fact that they ubiquitously coexist. Here we investigate how the coexistence and periodical switching of synergistic and discounted group interactions affect the evolution of cooperation on various complex networks. We show that scale-free networks facilitate the emergence of cooperation in terms of fixation probability for group interactions. With nonlinear interactions the heterogeneity of the degree acts as a double-edged sword: below the neutral drift it is the best for cooperation while above the neutral drift it instead provides the least opportunity for cooperators to be fixed. The advantages of the heterogeneity fade as interactive attributes switch between synergy and discounting, which suggests that the heterogeneity of population structures cannot favor cooperators in group interactions even with simple nonlinear interactions. Nonetheless, scale-free networks always guarantee cooperators the fastest rate of fixation. Our work implies that even very simple nonlinear group interactions could greatly shape the fixation probability and fixation time of cooperators in structured populations indicated by complex networks.

Evolution, opportunity and challenges of transboundary water and energy problems in Central Asia.

PubMed

Guo, Lidan; Zhou, Haiwei; Xia, Ziqiang; Huang, Feng

2016-01-01

Central Asia is one of the regions that suffer the most prominent transboundary water and energy problems in the world. Effective transboundary water-energy resource management and cooperation are closely related with socioeconomic development and stability in the entire Central Asia. Similar to Central Asia, Northwest China has an arid climate and is experiencing a water shortage. It is now facing imbalanced supply-demand relations of water and energy resources. These issues in Northwest China and Central Asia pose severe challenges in the implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt strategy. Based on the analysis of water and energy distribution characteristics in Central Asia as well as demand characteristics of different countries, the complexity of local transboundary water problems was explored by reviewing corresponding historical problems of involved countries, correlated energy issues, and the evolution of inter-country water-energy cooperation. With references to experiences and lessons of five countries, contradictions, opportunities, challenges and strategies for transboundary water-energy cooperation between China and Central Asia were discussed under the promotion of the Silk Road Economic Belt construction based on current cooperation conditions.

77 FR 26583 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-04

... Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Evaluation of Distributed Leak Detection Systems... Institute-- Cooperative Research Group on Evaluation of Distributed Leak Detection Systems--Performance... detection systems for offshore pipelines. Laboratory testing of distributed temperature and distributed...

Adaptive play stabilizes cooperation in continuous public goods games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Te; Wang, Long

2018-04-01

We construct a model to study the effects of repeated interaction on the evolution of cooperation in continuous public goods games. Instead of preassigning the duration of repeatedness, the likelihood of group entering next round interaction is positively dependent on the group's current cooperativeness. Meanwhile, when the disturbance happens, the interaction terminates. Under rare mutations, we show that such adaptive play can lead to the dominance of full cooperative state for weak disturbance. For fairly strong disturbance, all-or-none cooperative states share higher fractions of time in the long run, results similar to the ones reported in the study (Pinheiro et al., 2014) while differing from the ones reported in another relevant study (Van Segbroeck et al., 2012), although only strategy space and way determining next round vary. Our results remain valid when groups enter next round with a given probability independent of groups' cooperativeness. In the synergic public goods games, the positive effects of repeated interactions on promoting cooperation is further strengthened. In the discounted public goods game, only very weak disturbance can lead to the dominance of full cooperative state while fairly strong disturbance can favor both full cooperative state and a partially cooperative state. Our study thus enriches the literature on the evolution of cooperation in repeated public goods games.

The increased risk of joint venture promotes social cooperation.

PubMed

Wu, Te; Fu, Feng; Zhang, Yanling; Wang, Long

2013-01-01

The joint venture of many members is common both in animal world and human society. In these public enterprizes, highly cooperative groups are more likely to while low cooperative groups are still possible but not probable to succeed. Existent literature mostly focuses on the traditional public goods game, in which cooperators create public wealth unconditionally and benefit all group members unbiasedly. We here institute a model addressing this public goods dilemma with incorporating the public resource foraging failure risk. Risk-averse individuals tend to lead a autarkic life, while risk-preferential ones tend to participate in the risky public goods game. For participants, group's success relies on its cooperativeness, with increasing contribution leading to increasing success likelihood. We introduce a function with one tunable parameter to describe the risk removal pattern and study in detail three representative classes. Analytical results show that the widely replicated population dynamics of cyclical dominance of loner, cooperator and defector disappear, while most of the time loners act as savors while eventually they also disappear. Depending on the way that group's success relies on its cooperativeness, either cooperators pervade the entire population or they coexist with defectors. Even in the later case, cooperators still hold salient superiority in number as some defectors also survive by parasitizing. The harder the joint venture succeeds, the higher level of cooperation once cooperators can win the evolutionary race. Our work may enrich the literature concerning the risky public goods games.

The Increased Risk of Joint Venture Promotes Social Cooperation

PubMed Central

Wu, Te; Fu, Feng; Zhang, Yanling; Wang, Long

2013-01-01

The joint venture of many members is common both in animal world and human society. In these public enterprizes, highly cooperative groups are more likely to while low cooperative groups are still possible but not probable to succeed. Existent literature mostly focuses on the traditional public goods game, in which cooperators create public wealth unconditionally and benefit all group members unbiasedly. We here institute a model addressing this public goods dilemma with incorporating the public resource foraging failure risk. Risk-averse individuals tend to lead a autarkic life, while risk-preferential ones tend to participate in the risky public goods game. For participants, group's success relies on its cooperativeness, with increasing contribution leading to increasing success likelihood. We introduce a function with one tunable parameter to describe the risk removal pattern and study in detail three representative classes. Analytical results show that the widely replicated population dynamics of cyclical dominance of loner, cooperator and defector disappear, while most of the time loners act as savors while eventually they also disappear. Depending on the way that group's success relies on its cooperativeness, either cooperators pervade the entire population or they coexist with defectors. Even in the later case, cooperators still hold salient superiority in number as some defectors also survive by parasitizing. The harder the joint venture succeeds, the higher level of cooperation once cooperators can win the evolutionary race. Our work may enrich the literature concerning the risky public goods games. PMID:23750204

Constraining free riding in public goods games: designated solitary punishers can sustain human cooperation

PubMed Central

O'Gorman, Rick; Henrich, Joseph; Van Vugt, Mark

2008-01-01

Much of human cooperation remains an evolutionary riddle. Unlike other animals, people frequently cooperate with non-relatives in large groups. Evolutionary models of large-scale cooperation require not just incentives for cooperation, but also a credible disincentive for free riding. Various theoretical solutions have been proposed and experimentally explored, including reputation monitoring and diffuse punishment. Here, we empirically examine an alternative theoretical proposal: responsibility for punishment can be borne by one specific individual. This experiment shows that allowing a single individual to punish increases cooperation to the same level as allowing each group member to punish and results in greater group profits. These results suggest a potential key function of leadership in human groups and provides further evidence supporting that humans will readily and knowingly behave altruistically. PMID:18812292

Deciding to Cooperate in Northern Ghana: Trust as an Evolutionary Constraint Across Cultural Diversity.

PubMed

Acedo-Carmona, Cristina; Gomila, Antoni

2015-11-27

The upper-east and northern regions of Ghana offers a unique opportunity to study the influence of evolutionary social dynamics in making cooperation possible, despite cultural differences. These regions are occupied by several distinct ethnic groups, in interaction, such as the Kussasi, Mamprusi, Bimoba, Konkomba, and Fulani. We will report our fieldwork related to how cooperation takes places there, both within each group and among people from the different groups. Methods included personal networks of cooperation (ego networks), interviews and analysis of group contexts. The most important result is that, while each ethnic group may differ in terms of family and clan structure, a similar pattern can be found in all of them, of cooperation structured around small groups of trust-based close relationships. The study suggests that habitual decisions about cooperation are not strategic or self-interested, but instead are based on unconscious processes sustained by the emotional bonds of trust. These kind of emotional bonds are claimed to be relevant from an evolutionary point of view.

A cooperative strategy for parameter estimation in large scale systems biology models.

PubMed

Villaverde, Alejandro F; Egea, Jose A; Banga, Julio R

2012-06-22

Mathematical models play a key role in systems biology: they summarize the currently available knowledge in a way that allows to make experimentally verifiable predictions. Model calibration consists of finding the parameters that give the best fit to a set of experimental data, which entails minimizing a cost function that measures the goodness of this fit. Most mathematical models in systems biology present three characteristics which make this problem very difficult to solve: they are highly non-linear, they have a large number of parameters to be estimated, and the information content of the available experimental data is frequently scarce. Hence, there is a need for global optimization methods capable of solving this problem efficiently. A new approach for parameter estimation of large scale models, called Cooperative Enhanced Scatter Search (CeSS), is presented. Its key feature is the cooperation between different programs ("threads") that run in parallel in different processors. Each thread implements a state of the art metaheuristic, the enhanced Scatter Search algorithm (eSS). Cooperation, meaning information sharing between threads, modifies the systemic properties of the algorithm and allows to speed up performance. Two parameter estimation problems involving models related with the central carbon metabolism of E. coli which include different regulatory levels (metabolic and transcriptional) are used as case studies. The performance and capabilities of the method are also evaluated using benchmark problems of large-scale global optimization, with excellent results. The cooperative CeSS strategy is a general purpose technique that can be applied to any model calibration problem. Its capability has been demonstrated by calibrating two large-scale models of different characteristics, improving the performance of previously existing methods in both cases. The cooperative metaheuristic presented here can be easily extended to incorporate other global and local search solvers and specific structural information for particular classes of problems.

A cooperative strategy for parameter estimation in large scale systems biology models

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Mathematical models play a key role in systems biology: they summarize the currently available knowledge in a way that allows to make experimentally verifiable predictions. Model calibration consists of finding the parameters that give the best fit to a set of experimental data, which entails minimizing a cost function that measures the goodness of this fit. Most mathematical models in systems biology present three characteristics which make this problem very difficult to solve: they are highly non-linear, they have a large number of parameters to be estimated, and the information content of the available experimental data is frequently scarce. Hence, there is a need for global optimization methods capable of solving this problem efficiently. Results A new approach for parameter estimation of large scale models, called Cooperative Enhanced Scatter Search (CeSS), is presented. Its key feature is the cooperation between different programs (“threads”) that run in parallel in different processors. Each thread implements a state of the art metaheuristic, the enhanced Scatter Search algorithm (eSS). Cooperation, meaning information sharing between threads, modifies the systemic properties of the algorithm and allows to speed up performance. Two parameter estimation problems involving models related with the central carbon metabolism of E. coli which include different regulatory levels (metabolic and transcriptional) are used as case studies. The performance and capabilities of the method are also evaluated using benchmark problems of large-scale global optimization, with excellent results. Conclusions The cooperative CeSS strategy is a general purpose technique that can be applied to any model calibration problem. Its capability has been demonstrated by calibrating two large-scale models of different characteristics, improving the performance of previously existing methods in both cases. The cooperative metaheuristic presented here can be easily extended to incorporate other global and local search solvers and specific structural information for particular classes of problems. PMID:22727112

78 FR 42977 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-18

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in... Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in Eagle Ford Formation and Equivalent...

77 FR 31040 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-24

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in... Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in Eagle Ford Formation and Equivalent...

77 FR 73676 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993; Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-11

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993; Cooperative Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in... Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in Eagle Ford Formation and Equivalent...

What is a cooperative?

Treesearch

Kimberly Zeuli

2006-01-01

Groups of individuals throughout time have worked together in pursuit of common goals. The earliest forms of hunting and agriculture required a great deal of cooperation among humans. Although the word "cooperative" can be applied to many different types of group activities, in this publication it refers to a formal business model. Cooperative businesses are...

"You Don't Have to Like Me, but You Have to Respect Me": The Impacts of Assertiveness, Cooperativeness, and Group Satisfaction in Collaborative Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambertz-Berndt, Megan M.; Blight, Michael G.

2016-01-01

This study investigates cooperativeness, assertiveness, group satisfaction, leader grade, and leadership negotiation in a collaborative assignment conducted in a small group. Researchers manipulated the assignment of team members who reported on measures of group satisfaction and original scales of assertiveness and cooperativeness. Respondents…

Power and corruption.

PubMed

Úbeda, Francisco; Duéñez-Guzmán, Edgar A

2011-04-01

Cooperation is ubiquitous in the natural world. What seems nonsensical is why natural selection favors a behavior whereby individuals would lose out by benefiting their competitor. This conundrum, for almost half a century, has puzzled scientists and remains a fundamental problem in biology, psychology, and economics. In recent years, the explanation that punishment can maintain cooperation has received much attention. Individuals who punish noncooperators thrive when punishment does not entail a cost to the punisher. However when punishment is costly, cooperation cannot be preserved. Most literature on punishment fails to consider that punishers may act corruptly by not cooperating when punishing noncooperators. No research has considered that there might be power asymmetries between punishers and nonpunishers that turn one of these type of individuals more or less susceptible to experiencing punishment. Here, we formulate a general game allowing corruption and power asymmetries between punishers and nonpunishers. We show that cooperation can persist if punishers possess power and use it to act corruptly. This result provides a new interpretation of recent data on corrupt policing in social insects and the psychology of power and hypocrisy in humans. These results suggest that corruption may play an important role in maintaining cooperation in insects and human societies. In contrast with previous research, we contend that costly punishment can be beneficial for social groups. This work allows us to identify ways in which corruption can be used to the advantage of a society. © 2010 The Author(s). Evolution© 2010 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Establishing Groups in the College or University Classroom: Using VIEW to Form Better Cooperative Groups and Improve Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schroth, Stephen T.; Helfer, Jason A.; Crawford, Mary A.; Dixon, Jessie D.; Hoyt, Helen M.

2015-01-01

Six classes at a selective liberal arts college in the Midwest, two each in chemistry, educational studies, and Spanish, used cooperative groups as part of the students' learning experiences. One class from each discipline used VIEW to formulate these cooperative groups, while those that constituted the control groups used more traditional ways of…

Recent Cooperative Research Activities of HDD and Flexible Media Transport Technologies in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono, Kyosuke

This paper presents the recent status of industry-university cooperative research activities in Japan on the mechatronics of information storage and input/output equipment. There are three research committees for promoting information exchange on technical problems and research topics of head-disk interface in hard disk drives (HDD), flexible media transport and image printing processes which are supported by the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineering (JSME), the Japanese Society of Tribologists (JAST) and the Japan Society of Precision Engineering (JSPE). For hard disk drive technology, the Storage Research Consortium (SRC) is supporting more than 40 research groups in various different universities to perform basic research for future HDD technology. The past and present statuses of these activities are introduced, particularly focusing on HDD and flexible media transport mechanisms.

A case-based, small-group cooperative learning course in preclinical veterinary science aimed at bridging basic science and clinical literacy.

PubMed

Schoeman, J P; van Schoor, M; van der Merwe, L L; Meintjes, R A

2009-03-01

In 1999 a dedicated problem-based learning course was introduced into the lecture-based preclinical veterinary curriculum of the University of Pretoria. The Introduction to Clinical Studies Course combines traditional lectures, practical sessions, student self-learning and guided tutorials. The self-directed component of the course utilises case-based, small-group cooperative learning as an educational vehicle to link basic science with clinical medicine. The aim of this article is to describe the objectives and structure of the course and to report the results of the assessment of the students' perceptions on some aspects of the course. Students reacted very positively to the ability of the course to equip them with problem-solving skills. Students indicated positive perceptions about the workload of the course. There were, however, significantly lower scores for the clarity of the course objectives. Although the study guide for the course is very comprehensive, the practice regarding the objectives is still uncertain. It is imperative to set clear objectives in non-traditional, student-centred courses. The objectives have to be explained at the outset and reiterated throughout the course. Tutors should also communicate the rationale behind problem-based learning as a pedagogical method to the students. Further research is needed to verify the effectiveness of this course in bridging the gap between basic science and clinical literacy in veterinary science. Ongoing feedback and assessment of the management and content are important to refine this model for integrating basic science with clinical literacy.

Flipping organic chemistry course: Possibilities and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, J.; Kim, H. B.

2016-06-01

The flipped classroom approach was applied to an introductory organic chemistry course. A total of 76 video clips (15 hours of running time) were developed and delivered to 41 sophomores (21 females and 20 males) through Youtube in addition to the university's learning management system. The students were asked to preview the lecture contents before each class by watching a pre-class video. For in-class activities, exercise problems were presented to groups of 3-5 students. An instructor and a teaching assistant guided each group to solve problems cooperatively, monitored the students’ group activity and answered their questions. At the end of every chapter, the students were asked to evaluate their group work and personal preparedness for the class and also to write a short reflective journal. The muddiest point of each chapter, i.e., the topic posing the most difficulty to students’ understanding, was surveyed through Google Forms®. The students liked watching the videos before each class and performing student-centered, in-class group activities but a few limitations were also found and reported.

Feasibility survey on international cooperation for high efficiency energy conversion technology in fiscal 1993

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1994-03-01

Following cooperative researches on fuel cell jointly conducted by NEDO and EGAT (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand), the survey on international cooperation relating to high efficiency energy conversion technology was carried out for the ASEAN countries. The paper summed up the results of the survey. The study of the international cooperation is made for the following three items: a program for periodical exchange of information with EGAT, a project for cooperative research on phosphoric acid fuel cell in Indonesia, and a project for cooperative research with EGAT on electric power storage by advanced battery. In Malaysia, which is small in scale of state, part of the Ministry of Energy, Telecommunication and Posts is only in charge of the energy issue. Therefore, the situation is that they cannot answer well to many items of research/development cooperation brought in from Japan. The item of medium- and long-term developmental research in the Philippines is about the problems which are seen subsequently in the Manila metropolitan area where the problem of outage is being settled. Accordingly, it is essential to promote the cooperative research, well confirming policies and systems of the Ministry of Energy and the national electricity corporation.

Cooperative inference: Features, objects, and collections.

PubMed

Searcy, Sophia Ray; Shafto, Patrick

2016-10-01

Cooperation plays a central role in theories of development, learning, cultural evolution, and education. We argue that existing models of learning from cooperative informants have fundamental limitations that prevent them from explaining how cooperation benefits learning. First, existing models are shown to be computationally intractable, suggesting that they cannot apply to realistic learning problems. Second, existing models assume a priori agreement about which concepts are favored in learning, which leads to a conundrum: Learning fails without precise agreement on bias yet there is no single rational choice. We introduce cooperative inference, a novel framework for cooperation in concept learning, which resolves these limitations. Cooperative inference generalizes the notion of cooperation used in previous models from omission of labeled objects to the omission values of features, labels for objects, and labels for collections of objects. The result is an approach that is computationally tractable, does not require a priori agreement about biases, applies to both Boolean and first-order concepts, and begins to approximate the richness of real-world concept learning problems. We conclude by discussing relations to and implications for existing theories of cognition, cognitive development, and cultural evolution. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Educational Effects of Practical Education Using a Debate Exercise on Engineering Ethics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takanokura, Masato; Hayashi, Shigeo

The educational effects of practical education using a debate exercise are investigated using questionnaires. For the group-work composed of discussion and debate, students understand thoroughly various engineering ethical topics, such as factors preventing ethical decision-making. Students enhance their abilities to make a rational and logical decision by themselves such as a judgment based on correct information. Mutual evaluation by students through group interaction elevates positive educational effects. However, students answer fewer questions related to the understanding of professional duties and cooperate social responsibility because of the group-work using failure cases. Students also show less progress in their abilities to communicate with others and to express their opinions to audiences. A more suitable number of group members solves the latter problem.

Cooperative Learning in Elementary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadderman, Margaret

1992-01-01

Cooperative learning is being recommended as a solution for numerous education problems, from enhancing disadvantaged children's self-esteem to ensuring academic success for all students. Cooperative learning has great potential as a supplement or alternative to traditional teaching methods when students are adequately socialized and motivated.…

Legal Considerations in Cooperative Education Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Donald C.

The laws, regulations, and rulings that are common to all cooperative education programs and that frequently present problems to coordinators, faculty, administrators, and employers are briefly explained. The objective is to provide coordinators of cooperative programs in education, business, industry, and government with a discussion of the…

ADULT EDUCATION TECHNIQUES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, A GREEK CASE STUDY. PROBLEMS OF DEVELOPMENT SERIES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FOURRE, PIERRE; AND OTHERS

AIDED BY THE ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE ORGANIZATION FOR EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION, GREECE HAS ESTABLISHED A NETWORK OF ADULT EDUCATION CENTERS OUTSIDE TOWNS, TO MEET THE PROBLEMS OF ILLITERACY AND LOW EDUCATION LEVEL. THE CENTER PROVIDES FOR ACADEMIC AND LIBRARY PROGRAMS, SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS, AND RECREATION…

Using technology-enhanced, cooperative, group-project learning for student comprehension and academic performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tlhoaele, Malefyane; Suhre, Cor; Hofman, Adriaan

2016-05-01

Cooperative learning may improve students' motivation, understanding of course concepts, and academic performance. This study therefore enhanced a cooperative, group-project learning technique with technology resources to determine whether doing so improved students' deep learning and performance. A sample of 118 engineering students, randomly divided into two groups, participated in this study and provided data through questionnaires issued before and after the experiment. The results, obtained through analyses of variance and structural equation modelling, reveal that technology-enhanced, cooperative, group-project learning improves students' comprehension and academic performance.

Evolution of conditional cooperation under multilevel selection.

PubMed

Zhang, Huanren; Perc, Matjaž

2016-03-11

We study the emergence of conditional cooperation in the presence of both intra-group and inter-group selection. Individuals play public goods games within their groups using conditional strategies, which are represented as piecewise linear response functions. Accordingly, groups engage in conflicts with a certain probability. In contrast to previous studies, we consider continuous contribution levels and a rich set of conditional strategies, allowing for a wide range of possible interactions between strategies. We find that the existence of conditional strategies enables the stabilization of cooperation even under strong intra-group selection. The strategy that eventually dominates in the population has two key properties: (i) It is unexploitable with strong intra-group selection; (ii) It can achieve full contribution to outperform other strategies in the inter-group selection. The success of this strategy is robust to initial conditions as well as changes to important parameters. We also investigate the influence of different factors on cooperation levels, including group conflicts, group size, and migration rate. Their effect on cooperation can be attributed to and explained by their influence on the relative strength of intra-group and inter-group selection.

Group formation through indirect reciprocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oishi, Koji; Shimada, Takashi; Ito, Nobuyasu

2013-03-01

The emergence of group structure of cooperative relations is studied in an agent-based model. It is proved that specific types of reciprocity norms lead individuals to split into two groups only inside of which they are cooperative. The condition for the evolutionary stability of the norms is also obtained. This result suggests reciprocity norms, which usually promote cooperation, can cause society's separation into multiple groups.

Experiential learning implementation based on joint responsibility in women's cooperative development (Case study on Farmer Women Cooperative, Sumedang, West Java)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suseno, Gijanto Purbo; Nataliningsih

2017-09-01

Cooperative extension is one form of non-formal education. The follow up of cooperative extension is a coaching that aims to cooperative boards and members apply the knowledge and skills acquired during extension. Learning from the experience (experience learning) of others combined with the concept of joint responsibility is expected to develop the participation of cooperative members as indicated by the repayment of loans on time. The research was conducted at Sumedang Farmer Women Cooperative of West Java with the stages of cooperative extension and coaching for 6 months so it can be evaluated its impact. The results showed that from 30 extension participants who stated willingness to be a member of joint responsibility group as many as 15 people (50%), which then divided into 3 groups of mutual responsibility with member of each group is 5 people. The result of impact evaluation showed the development of group dynamics of the joint liability shown by 9 people (60%) developing business, 3 people (20%) business stagnant and 3 (20%) less profitable business. Implementation of experiental learning based on the concept of mutual responsibility encourages the improvement of entrepreneurship and cooperative skills and the ability of members to pay loan installments on cooperatives in a timely manner.

75 FR 24972 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-06

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on High Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II Notice is... Research Group on High-Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II, (``HEDGE II'') has filed written notifications...

76 FR 9811 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-22

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on High-Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II Notice is... Research Group on High-Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II (``HEDGE II'') has filed written notifications...

75 FR 79024 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-17

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on High-Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II Notice is... Research Group on High-Efficiency Dilute Gasoline Engine II (``HEDGE II'') has filed written notifications...

Judgments about Cooperators and Freeriders on a Shuar Work Team: An Evolutionary Psychological Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Michael E.

2006-01-01

Evolutionary biological theories of group cooperation predict that (1) group members will tend to judge cooperative co-members favorably, and freeriding co-members negatively and (2) members who themselves cooperate more frequently will be especially likely to make these social judgments. An experiment tested these predictions among Shuar…

76 FR 39901 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-07

... Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Development of a Predictive Model for Corrosion-Fatigue of Materials in Sour Environment Notice is hereby given that, on May 17, 2011, pursuant to Section 6... Act''), Southwest Research Institute-- Cooperative Research Group on Development of a Predictive Model...

76 FR 66325 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-26

... Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Development of a Predictive Model for Corrosion-Fatigue of Materials in Sour Environment Notice is hereby given that, on September 26, 2011, pursuant to.... (``the Act''), Southwest Research Institute--Cooperative Research Group on Development of a Predictive...

76 FR 13663 - Cooper Tools, Currently Known as Apex Tool Group, LLC, Hicksville, OH; Amended Certification...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-14

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-71,652] Cooper Tools, Currently... Adjustment Assistance on April 27, 2010, applicable to workers of Cooper Tools, Hicksville, Ohio. The workers.... purchased Cooper Tools and is currently known as Apex Tool Group, LLC. Some workers separated from...

Intergroup conflict: individual, group, and collective interests.

PubMed

Bornstein, Gary

2003-01-01

Intergroup conflicts generally involve conflicts of interests within the competing groups as well. This article outlines a taxonomy of games, called team games, which incorporates the intragroup and intergroup levels of conflict. Its aims are to provide a coherent framework for analyzing the prototypical problems of cooperation and competition that arise within and between groups, and to review an extensive research program that has used this framework to study individual and group behavior in the laboratory. Depending on the game's payoff structure, contradictions or conflicts are created among the rational choices at the individual, group, and collective levels-a generalization of the contradiction between individual and collective rationality occurring in the traditional mixed-motive games. These contradictions are studied so as to identify the theoretical and behavioral conditions that determine which level of rationality prevails.

Evolution of public cooperation in a monitored society with implicated punishment and within-group enforcement.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaojie; Sasaki, Tatsuya; Perc, Matjaž

2015-11-24

Monitoring with implicated punishment is common in human societies to avert freeriding on common goods. But is it effective in promoting public cooperation? We show that the introduction of monitoring and implicated punishment is indeed effective, as it transforms the public goods game to a coordination game, thus rendering cooperation viable in infinite and finite well-mixed populations. We also show that the addition of within-group enforcement further promotes the evolution of public cooperation. However, although the group size in this context has nonlinear effects on collective action, an intermediate group size is least conductive to cooperative behaviour. This contradicts recent field observations, where an intermediate group size was declared optimal with the conjecture that group-size effects and within-group enforcement are responsible. Our theoretical research thus clarifies key aspects of monitoring with implicated punishment in human societies, and additionally, it reveals fundamental group-size effects that facilitate prosocial collective action.

Evolution of public cooperation in a monitored society with implicated punishment and within-group enforcement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaojie; Sasaki, Tatsuya; Perc, Matjaž

2015-11-01

Monitoring with implicated punishment is common in human societies to avert freeriding on common goods. But is it effective in promoting public cooperation? We show that the introduction of monitoring and implicated punishment is indeed effective, as it transforms the public goods game to a coordination game, thus rendering cooperation viable in infinite and finite well-mixed populations. We also show that the addition of within-group enforcement further promotes the evolution of public cooperation. However, although the group size in this context has nonlinear effects on collective action, an intermediate group size is least conductive to cooperative behaviour. This contradicts recent field observations, where an intermediate group size was declared optimal with the conjecture that group-size effects and within-group enforcement are responsible. Our theoretical research thus clarifies key aspects of monitoring with implicated punishment in human societies, and additionally, it reveals fundamental group-size effects that facilitate prosocial collective action.

[The historical experience of medical service in cooperation with state healthcare facilities during the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945].

PubMed

Budko, A A; Gribovskaia, G A; Zhuravlev, D A

2014-05-01

Cooperation issues between military-medical service and civil healthcare in the field of delivery of medical aid to patients in the rear of country are considered in the artic. The rear is a final stage of the care by echelon and the main medical reserve force for front and army areas. Wide hospital network in the rear consisted mainly of evacuation hospitals of the People's Commissariat of the USSR healthcare. Cooperation between military-medical service and civil healthcare facilities was required. Sometimes necessary cooperation failed and made mutual helming of evacuation hospitals difficult. But despite the problems the main problem - return of maximum wounded soldiers to active duty was solved during the Great Patriotic War.

Preschoolers value those who sanction non-cooperators.

PubMed

Vaish, Amrisha; Herrmann, Esther; Markmann, Christiane; Tomasello, Michael

2016-08-01

Large-scale human cooperation among unrelated individuals requires the enforcement of social norms. However, such enforcement poses a problem because non-enforcers can free ride on others' costly and risky enforcement. One solution is that enforcers receive benefits relative to non-enforcers. Here we show that this solution becomes functional during the preschool years: 5-year-old (but not 4-year-old) children judged enforcers of norms more positively, preferred enforcers, and distributed more resources to enforcers than to non-enforcers. The ability to sustain not only first-order but also second-order cooperation thus emerges quite early in human ontogeny, providing a viable solution to the problem of higher-order cooperation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Population ecology, nonlinear dynamics, and social evolution. I. Associations among nonrelatives.

PubMed

Avilés, Leticia; Abbot, Patrick; Cutter, Asher D

2002-02-01

Using an individual-based and genetically explicit simulation model, we explore the evolution of sociality within a population-ecology and nonlinear-dynamics framework. Assuming that individual fitness is a unimodal function of group size and that cooperation may carry a relative fitness cost, we consider the evolution of one-generation breeding associations among nonrelatives. We explore how parameters such as the intrinsic rate of growth and group and global carrying capacities may influence social evolution and how social evolution may, in turn, influence and be influenced by emerging group-level and population-wide dynamics. We find that group living and cooperation evolve under a wide range of parameter values, even when cooperation is costly and the interactions can be defined as altruistic. Greater levels of cooperation, however, did evolve when cooperation carried a low or no relative fitness cost. Larger group carrying capacities allowed the evolution of larger groups but also resulted in lower cooperative tendencies. When the intrinsic rate of growth was not too small and control of the global population size was density dependent, the evolution of large cooperative tendencies resulted in dynamically unstable groups and populations. These results are consistent with the existence and typical group sizes of organisms ranging from the pleometrotic ants to the colonial birds and the global population outbreaks and crashes characteristic of organisms such as the migratory locusts and the tree-killing bark beetles.

How to help intelligent systems with different uncertainty representations cooperate with each other

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kreinovich, Vladik YA.; Kumar, Sundeep

1991-01-01

In order to solve a complicated problem one must use the knowledge from different domains. Therefore, if one wants to automatize the solution of these problems, one has to help the knowledge-based systems that correspond to these domains cooperate, that is, communicate facts and conclusions to each other in the process of decision making. One of the main obstacles to such cooperation is the fact that different intelligent systems use different methods of knowledge acquisition and different methods and formalisms for uncertainty representation. So an interface f is needed, 'translating' the values x, y, which represent uncertainty of the experts' knowledge in one system, into the values f(x), f(y) appropriate for another one. The problem of designing such an interface as a mathematical problem is formulated and solved. It is shown that the interface must be fractionally linear: f(x) = (ax + b)/(cx + d).

Ethics and Accountability: Participatory Research in a Worker Co-Operative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mellor, Mary

1988-01-01

The author describes a participatory research project that took place in a garment workers' co-operative. The project's purpose was to record the history and working relationships of the co-operative in an attempt to help similar ventures. Problems of participatory research are considered. (CH)

An Experimental Study of Career Development in Cooperative and Non-Cooperative Education Liberal Arts Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martello, John S.; Shelton, Paul D.

1980-01-01

A study comparing cooperative and noncooperative education students across time on several variables related to career maturity, career choice, and major certainty showed that co-op students rate higher in career maturity, career planning and problem-solving abilities. (JOW)

Do Dental Students' Personality Types and Group Dynamics Affect Their Performance in Problem-Based Learning?

PubMed

Ihm, Jung-Joon; An, So-Youn; Seo, Deog-Gyu

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether the personality types of dental students and their group dynamics were linked to their problem-based learning (PBL) performance. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) instrument was used with 263 dental students enrolled in Seoul National University School of Dentistry from 2011 to 2013; the students had participated in PBL in their first year. A four-session PBL setting was designed to analyze how individual personality types and the diversity of their small groups were associated with PBL performance. Overall, the results showed that the personality type of PBL performance that was the most prominent was Judging. As a group became more diverse with its different constituent personality characteristics, there was a tendency for the group to be higher ranked in terms of PBL performance. In particular, the overperforming group was clustered around three major profiles: Extraverted Intuitive Thinking Judging (ENTJ), Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ISTJ), and Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ESTJ). Personality analysis would be beneficial for dental faculty members in order for them to understand the extent to which cooperative learning would work smoothly, especially when considering group personalities.

Students' views of cooperative learning and group testing.

PubMed

Hicks, Jay

2007-01-01

Today's radiologic technology students must learn to collaborate and communicate to function as part of the health care team. Innovative educational techniques such as cooperative learning (working collectively in small groups) and group testing (collaborating on tests) can foster these skills. Assess students' familiarity with and opinions about cooperative learning and group testing before and after participation in a semester-long course incorporating these methods. Twenty-eight students enrolled in a baccalaureate-level radiologic technology program in Louisiana were surveyed at the beginning and end of the semester. Results showed that students were more knowledgeable about and more accepting of cooperative learning and group testing after participating in the course. However, some students continued to prefer independent learning. Students are open to new learning methods such as cooperative learning and group testing. These techniques can help them develop the skills they will need to function collaboratively in the workplace.

Is cooperation viable in mobile organisms? Simple Walk Away rule favors the evolution of cooperation in groups

PubMed Central

Aktipis, C. Athena

2011-01-01

The evolution of cooperation through partner choice mechanisms is often thought to involve relatively complex cognitive abilities. Using agent-based simulations I model a simple partner choice rule, the ‘Walk Away’ rule, where individuals stay in groups that provide higher returns (by virtue of having more cooperators), and ‘Walk Away’ from groups providing low returns. Implementing this conditional movement rule in a public goods game leads to a number of interesting findings: 1) cooperators have a selective advantage when thresholds are high, corresponding to low tolerance for defectors, 2) high thresholds lead to high initial rates of movement and low final rates of movement (after selection), and 3) as cooperation is selected, the population undergoes a spatial transition from high migration (and a many small and ephemeral groups) to low migration (and large and stable groups). These results suggest that the very simple ‘Walk Away’ rule of leaving uncooperative groups can favor the evolution of cooperation, and that cooperation can evolve in populations in which individuals are able to move in response to local social conditions. A diverse array of organisms are able to leave degraded physical or social environments. The ubiquitous nature of conditional movement suggests that ‘Walk Away’ dynamics may play an important role in the evolution of social behavior in both cognitively complex and cognitively simple organisms. PMID:21666771

Design concepts for the development of cooperative problem-solving systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Philip J.; Mccoy, Elaine; Layton, Chuck; Bihari, Tom

1992-01-01

There are many problem-solving tasks that are too complex to fully automate given the current state of technology. Nevertheless, significant improvements in overall system performance could result from the introduction of well-designed computer aids. We have been studying the development of cognitive tools for one such problem-solving task, enroute flight path planning for commercial airlines. Our goal was two-fold. First, we were developing specific systems designs to help with this important practical problem. Second, we are using this context to explore general design concepts to guide in the development of cooperative problem-solving systems. These designs concepts are described.

Regional cooperation in transportation planning.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-02-01

As Floridas urbanized areas grow and merge, : neighboring jurisdictions experience interrelated : problems and opportunities, and regional : cooperation becomes an imperative. In the : transportation sector, Floridas metropolitan : planning org...

[Problem based learning by distance education and analysis of a training system].

PubMed

Dury, Cécile

2004-12-01

This article presents and analyses a training system aiming at acquiring skills in nursing cares. The aims followed are the development: --of an active pedagogic method: learning through problems (LTP); --of the interdisciplinary and intercultural approach, the same problems being solves by students from different disciplines and cultures; --of the use of the new technologies of information and communication (NTIC) so as to enable a maximal "distance" cooperation between the various partners of the project. The analysis of the system shows that the pedagogic aims followed by LTP are reached. The pluridisciplinary and pluricultural approach, to be optimal, requires great coordination between the partners, balance between the groups of students from different countries and disciplines, training and support from the tutors in the use of the distance teaching platform.

Practicing What We Preach: Teacher Reflection Groups on Cooperative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Thomas S. C.; Jacobs, George M.

2016-01-01

This article discusses the use of teacher reflection groups to aid teachers in their efforts to facilitate cooperative learning among their students. It is argued that these teacher reflection groups function best when they are organized with reference to eight cooperative learning principles. Furthermore, it is suggested that these reflective…

The Globalization of Cooperative Groups.

PubMed

Valdivieso, Manuel; Corn, Benjamin W; Dancey, Janet E; Wickerham, D Lawrence; Horvath, L Elise; Perez, Edith A; Urton, Alison; Cronin, Walter M; Field, Erica; Lackey, Evonne; Blanke, Charles D

2015-10-01

The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-supported adult cooperative oncology research groups (now officially Network groups) have a longstanding history of participating in international collaborations throughout the world. Most frequently, the US-based cooperative groups work reciprocally with the Canadian national adult cancer clinical trial group, NCIC CTG (previously the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group). Thus, Canada is the largest contributor to cooperative groups based in the United States, and vice versa. Although international collaborations have many benefits, they are most frequently utilized to enhance patient accrual to large phase III trials originating in the United States or Canada. Within the cooperative group setting, adequate attention has not been given to the study of cancers that are unique to countries outside the United States and Canada, such as those frequently associated with infections in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Global collaborations are limited by a number of barriers, some of which are unique to the countries involved, while others are related to financial support and to US policies that restrict drug distribution outside the United States. This article serves to detail the cooperative group experience in international research and describe how international collaboration in cancer clinical trials is a promising and important area that requires greater consideration in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Globalization of Cooperative Groups

PubMed Central

Valdivieso, Manuel; Corn, Benjamin W.; Dancey, Janet E.; Wickerham, D. Lawrence; Horvath, L. Elise; Perez, Edith A.; Urton, Alison; Cronin, Walter M.; Field, Erica; Lackey, Evonne; Blanke, Charles D.

2015-01-01

The National Cancer Institute-supported adult cooperative oncology research groups (now officially Network groups) have a long-standing history of participating in international collaborations throughout the world. Most frequently, the U.S. based cooperative groups work reciprocally with the Canadian national adult cancer clinical trial group, NCIC CTG (previously the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group). Thus, Canada is the largest contributor to cooperative groups based in the U.S., and vice versa. Although international collaborations have many benefits, they are most frequently utilized to enhance patient accrual to large phase III trials originating in the U.S. or Canada. Within the cooperative group setting, adequate attention has not been given to the study of cancers that are unique to countries outside the U.S. and Canada, such as those frequently associated with infections in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Global collaborations are limited by a number of barriers, some of which are unique to the countries involved, while others are related to financial support and to U.S. policies that restrict drug distribution outside the U.S. This manuscript serves to detail the cooperative group experience in international research and describe how international collaboration in cancer clinical trials is a promising and important area that requires greater consideration in the future. PMID:26433551

I dare you to punish me-vendettas in games of cooperation.

PubMed

Fehl, Katrin; Sommerfeld, Ralf D; Semmann, Dirk; Krambeck, Hans-Jürgen; Milinski, Manfred

2012-01-01

Everybody has heard of neighbours, who have been fighting over some minor topic for years. The fight goes back and forth, giving the neighbours a hard time. These kind of reciprocal punishments are known as vendettas and they are a cross-cultural phenomenon. In evolutionary biology, punishment is seen as a mechanism for maintaining cooperative behaviour. However, this notion of punishment excludes vendettas. Vendettas pose a special kind of evolutionary problem: they incur high costs on individuals, i.e. costs of punishing and costs of being punished, without any benefits. Theoretically speaking, punishment should be rare in dyadic relationships and vendettas would not evolve under natural selection. In contrast, punishment is assumed to be more efficient in group environments which then can pave the way for vendettas. Accordingly, we found that under the experimental conditions of a prisoner's dilemma game, human participants punished only rarely and vendettas are scarce. In contrast, we found that participants retaliated frequently in the group environment of a public goods game. They even engaged in cost-intense vendettas (i.e. continuous retaliation), especially when the first punishment was unjustified or ambiguous. Here, punishment was mainly targeted at defectors in the beginning, but provocations led to mushrooming of counter-punishments. Despite the counter-punishing behaviour, participants were able to enhance cooperation levels in the public goods game. Few participants even seemed to anticipate the outbreak of costly vendettas and delayed their punishment to the last possible moment. Overall, our results highlight the importance of different social environments while studying punishment as a cooperation-enhancing mechanism.

I Dare You to Punish Me—Vendettas in Games of Cooperation

PubMed Central

Fehl, Katrin; Sommerfeld, Ralf D.; Semmann, Dirk; Krambeck, Hans-Jürgen; Milinski, Manfred

2012-01-01

Everybody has heard of neighbours, who have been fighting over some minor topic for years. The fight goes back and forth, giving the neighbours a hard time. These kind of reciprocal punishments are known as vendettas and they are a cross-cultural phenomenon. In evolutionary biology, punishment is seen as a mechanism for maintaining cooperative behaviour. However, this notion of punishment excludes vendettas. Vendettas pose a special kind of evolutionary problem: they incur high costs on individuals, i.e. costs of punishing and costs of being punished, without any benefits. Theoretically speaking, punishment should be rare in dyadic relationships and vendettas would not evolve under natural selection. In contrast, punishment is assumed to be more efficient in group environments which then can pave the way for vendettas. Accordingly, we found that under the experimental conditions of a prisoner’s dilemma game, human participants punished only rarely and vendettas are scarce. In contrast, we found that participants retaliated frequently in the group environment of a public goods game. They even engaged in cost-intense vendettas (i.e. continuous retaliation), especially when the first punishment was unjustified or ambiguous. Here, punishment was mainly targeted at defectors in the beginning, but provocations led to mushrooming of counter-punishments. Despite the counter-punishing behaviour, participants were able to enhance cooperation levels in the public goods game. Few participants even seemed to anticipate the outbreak of costly vendettas and delayed their punishment to the last possible moment. Overall, our results highlight the importance of different social environments while studying punishment as a cooperation-enhancing mechanism. PMID:23028776

Cooperative Education for Graduate Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Sylvia J.; Whitten, Cynthia Jahn

Recent development and implementation of cooperative education on the graduate level in the U.S. and Canada is examined in this study. Several questions are addressed: How and why did graduate cooperative education programs begin? How was the program received on campus? What are the major program characteristics? What problems or issues are…

Cooperative Activities in Young Children and Chimpanzees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warneken, Felix; Chen, Frances; Tomasello, Michael

2006-01-01

Human children 18-24 months of age and 3 young chimpanzees interacted in 4 cooperative activities with a human adult partner. The human children successfully participated in cooperative problem-solving activities and social games, whereas the chimpanzees were uninterested in the social games. As an experimental manipulation, in each task the adult…

Shoulders to the Wheel: Energy-Related College/Business Cooperative Agreements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackman, Mary Jane G.; Mahoney, James R.

This booklet provides information on cooperative agreements between college and industry, focusing special attention on such agreements in energy-related fields. After highlighting the major elements of cooperative agreements and their benefits and potential problems, the report examines the economic context in which joint activity between…

Learning Microbiology through Cooperation: Designing Cooperative Learning Activities That Promote Interdependence, Interaction, and Accountability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trempy, Janine E.; Skinner, Monica M.; Siebold, William A.

2002-01-01

Describes the course "The World According to Microbes" which puts science, mathematics, engineering, and technology majors into teams of students charged with problem solving activities that are microbial in origin. Describes the development of learning activities that utilize key components of cooperative learning including positive…

Institutionalization of Rural Credit in India: A Focus on the Cooperative Credit Movement.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-01

Primarily the Government of India has relied on the Cooperative Movement in its effort to institutionalize the supply of rural credit. This thesis...examines some of the major problems and obstacles encountered as well as corrective measures taken with respect to the cooperative movement . (Author)

The Effectiveness of Structured Co-Operative Teaching and Learning in Greek Primary School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaldi, Stavroula; Filippatou, Diamanto; Anthopoulou, Barbara

2014-01-01

This study focuses upon the effectiveness of structured co-operative group work on primary school students, aged between 8.5 and 9.5 years old, regarding their content knowledge, attitudes towards co-operative group work, experiential learning and open-ended curriculum as well as students' social and learning behaviour during co-operative group…

The Effects of Competitive vs. Cooperative Structures on Subsequent Productivity in Boys with Psychosocial Disorders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, David L.; Peterson, Cindee Q.

1991-01-01

A study compared three subject groups structured for competition to three subject groups structured for cooperation. Thirty-six 8- to 17-year-old males residing in a treatment center for nonpsychotic psychosocial disorders participated in competitive and cooperative dice games. Results did not support the hypothesis that a cooperative experience…

Regional cooperation in transportation planning : [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

As Floridas urbanized areas grow and merge, : neighboring jurisdictions experience interrelated : problems and opportunities, and regional : cooperation becomes an imperative. In the : transportation sector, Floridas metropolitan : planning org...

Six Sigma Approach to Improve Stripping Quality of Automotive Electronics Component – a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razali, Noraini Mohd; Murni Mohamad Kadri, Siti; Con Ee, Toh

2018-03-01

Lacking of problem solving skill techniques and cooperation between support groups are the two obstacles that always been faced in actual production line. Inadequate detail analysis and inappropriate technique in solving the problem may cause the repeating issues which may give impact to the organization performance. This study utilizes a well-structured six sigma DMAIC with combination of other problem solving tools to solve product quality problem in manufacturing of automotive electronics component. The study is concentrated at the stripping process, a critical process steps with highest rejection rate that contribute to the scrap and rework performance. The detail analysis is conducted in the analysis phase to identify the actual root cause of the problem. Then several improvement activities are implemented and the results show that the rejection rate due to stripping defect decrease tremendously and the process capability index improved from 0.75 to 1.67. This results prove that the six sigma approach used to tackle the quality problem is substantially effective.

The Effects of 10 Communication Modes on the Behavior of Teams During Co-Operative Problem-Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ochsman, Richard B.; Chapanis, Alphonse

1974-01-01

Sixty teams of two college students each solved credible "real world" problems co-operatively. Conversations were carried on in one of 10 modes of communication: (1) typewriting only, (2) handwriting only, (3) handwriting and typewriting, (4) typewriting and video, (5) handwriting and video, (6) voice only, (7) voice and typewriting, (8) voice and…

Language Problems and the Final Act. Esperanto Documents, New Series No. 11A.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Universal Esperanto Association, Rotterdam (Netherlands).

The Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, linguistic problems in the way of cooperation, language differences and the potential for discriminatory practice, and the need for a new linguistic order are discussed. It is suggested that misunderstandings arising from differences of language reduce the ability of the 35…

Assessing instructor intervention upon the perceptions, attitudes, and anxieties of community college biology students toward cooperative learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gafford, Kenneth Allen

The differences between two experimental groups using cooperative learning activities were examined during the initial eight weeks of a biology course. While both groups participated in the same cooperative learning activities, only one group received deliberate instructor interventions. These interventions were designed to help students think positively about working in cooperative learning groups while alleviating anxiety toward cooperative learning. Initially, all students were uncomfortable and reported trouble staying focused during cooperative learning. The final quantitative results indicated that the group who received the interventions had more positive perceptions toward cooperative learning but their attitudes and anxiety levels showed no significant difference from the non-intervention group; advantages occurred specifically for thinking on task, student engagement, perceptions of task importance, and best levels of challenge and skill. Intervention participants had a higher mean score on the class exam administered during the eight-week study but it was not significantly different. Qualitative data revealed that the intervention participants experienced greater overall consequence, mainly in the areas of engagement, believed skill, and self-worth. According to flow theory, when students are actively engaged, the probability of distraction by fears and unrelated ideas is reduced, for instance, how they are perceived by others. These findings corroborate constructivist theories, particularly the ones relative to students working in cooperative groups. Researchers should continue to use appropriate methods to further explore how students of various abilities and developmental levels are affected by their perceptions, attitudes, and anxieties relative to different instructional contexts. Given the highly contextual nature of students' learning and motivation, researchers need to examine a number of meaningful questions by comparing students' perceptions, attitudes, and anxieties toward cooperative learning with other methods of instruction.

A participatory model for improving occupational health and safety: improving informal sector working conditions in Thailand.

PubMed

Manothum, Aniruth; Rukijkanpanich, Jittra; Thawesaengskulthai, Damrong; Thampitakkul, Boonwa; Chaikittiporn, Chalermchai; Arphorn, Sara

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of an Occupational Health and Safety Management Model for informal sector workers in Thailand. The studied model was characterized by participatory approaches to preliminary assessment, observation of informal business practices, group discussion and participation, and the use of environmental measurements and samples. This model consisted of four processes: capacity building, risk analysis, problem solving, and monitoring and control. The participants consisted of four local labor groups from different regions, including wood carving, hand-weaving, artificial flower making, and batik processing workers. The results demonstrated that, as a result of applying the model, the working conditions of the informal sector workers had improved to meet necessary standards. This model encouraged the use of local networks, which led to cooperation within the groups to create appropriate technologies to solve their problems. The authors suggest that this model could effectively be applied elsewhere to improve informal sector working conditions on a broader scale.

Advances in Risk Classification and Treatment Strategies for Neuroblastoma.

PubMed

Pinto, Navin R; Applebaum, Mark A; Volchenboum, Samuel L; Matthay, Katherine K; London, Wendy B; Ambros, Peter F; Nakagawara, Akira; Berthold, Frank; Schleiermacher, Gudrun; Park, Julie R; Valteau-Couanet, Dominique; Pearson, Andrew D J; Cohn, Susan L

2015-09-20

Risk-based treatment approaches for neuroblastoma have been ongoing for decades. However, the criteria used to define risk in various institutional and cooperative groups were disparate, limiting the ability to compare clinical trial results. To mitigate this problem and enhance collaborative research, homogenous pretreatment patient cohorts have been defined by the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group classification system. During the past 30 years, increasingly intensive, multimodality approaches have been developed to treat patients who are classified as high risk, whereas patients with low- or intermediate-risk neuroblastoma have received reduced therapy. This treatment approach has resulted in improved outcome, although survival for high-risk patients remains poor, emphasizing the need for more effective treatments. Increased knowledge regarding the biology and genetic basis of neuroblastoma has led to the discovery of druggable targets and promising, new therapeutic approaches. Collaborative efforts of institutions and international cooperative groups have led to advances in our understanding of neuroblastoma biology, refinements in risk classification, and stratified treatment strategies, resulting in improved outcome. International collaboration will be even more critical when evaluating therapies designed to treat small cohorts of patients with rare actionable mutations. © 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

United States and Western Europe cooperation in planetary exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levy, Eugene H.; Hunten, Donald M.; Masursky, Harold; Scarf, Frederick L.; Solomon, Sean C.; Wilkening, Laurel L.; Fechtig, Hugo; Balsiger, Hans; Blamont, Jacques; Fulchignoni, Marcello

1989-01-01

A framework was sought for U.S.-European cooperation in planetary exploration. Specific issues addressed include: types and levels of possible cooperative activities in the planetary sciences; specific or general scientific areas that seem most promising as the main focus of cooperative efforts; potential mission candidates for cooperative ventures; identification of special issues or problems for resolution by negotiation between the agencies, and possible suggestions for their resolutions; and identification of coordinated technological and instrumental developments for planetary missions.

Game-theoretic cooperativity in networks of self-interested units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barto, Andrew G.

1986-08-01

The behavior of theoretical neural networks is often described in terms of competition and cooperation. I present an approach to network learning that is related to game and team problems in which competition and cooperation have more technical meanings. I briefly describe the application of stochastic learning automata to game and team problems and then present an adaptive element that is a synthesis of aspects of stochastic learning automata and typical neuron-like adaptive elements. These elements act as self-interested agents that work toward improving their performance with respect to their individual preference orderings. Networks of these elements can solve a variety of team decision problems, some of which take the form of layered networks in which the ``hidden units'' become appropriate functional components as they attempt to improve their own payoffs.

Learning science in a cooperative setting: Academic achievement and affective outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazarowitz, Reuven; Hertz-Lazarowitz, Rachel; Baird, J. Hugh

A learning unit in earth science was taught to high school students, using a jigsaw-group mastery learning approach. The sample consisted of 73 students in the experimental group and 47 students who learned the topic in an individualized mastery learning approach. The study lasted 5 weeks. Pretests and posttests on academic achievement and affective outcomes were administered. Data were treated with an analysis of covariance. The results show that students of the experimental group achieved significantly higher on academic outcomes, both normative and objective scores. On the creative essay test, the differences in number of ideas and total essay score were not significant between the groups, although the mean scores for number of words were higher for the individualized mastery learning group. On the affective domain, jigsaw-group mastery learning students scored significantly higher on self-esteem, number of friends, and involvement in the classroom. No differences were found in cohesiveness, cooperation, competition, and attitudes toward the subject learned. The results are discussed through the evaluation and comparison of the two methods of instruction used in this study.The cooperative learning movement began in junior high schools as part of the desegregation process, aiming at facilitating positive ethnic relations and increasing academic achievement and social skills among diverse students (Aronson, Stephan, Sikes, Blaney, & Snapp, 1978; Sharan & Hertz-Lazarowitz, 1980; Slavin, 1980). However, elementary teachers quickly recognized the potential of cooperative methods, and such methods were adopted freely in elementary schools before becoming widespread on the junior and senior high level. It has only been during the past few years that application of cooperative learning has been studied extensively with these older students.Cooperative learning methods generally involve heterogeneous groups working together on tasks that are deliberately structured to provide specific assignments and individual contributions from each group member. Cognitive as well as social benefits are expected, as students clarify their own understanding and share their insights and ideas with each other as they interact within the group (Deutsch, 1949).Experiments in the science laboratory have always required students to work in groups of two to four, due to the constraints of experimental processes and limited equipment and sup- plies. Thus, science courses are a natural curriculum area for examining cooperative learning practices. Now that cooperative methods are being refined to develop particular capabilities in the students, science teachers need to examine ways of structuring specific tasks to achieve the academic, affective, and socialization goals for their students. Although most of the studies of cooperative learning in the high school science classroom have centered around the cognitive outcomes of achievement testing and process skills, affective and social outcomes are also significant with students of this age. But few studies in science classes have attempted to assess such aspects of students' progress.As part of a previous revision, the science faculty at the high school where this study was conducted developed an exemplary individualized mastery learning (1ML) program for teaching science. This program seemed to alleviate the severe motivational problems and the extreme individual differences among the students in this rural/bhe-collar community. Students learned to work independently on their science studies. They had almost no lectures and few large group activities. As they worked through their assignments, however, they were free to interdct with other students. Looking in on a typical class, one would see several clusters of two or three students working together, sometimes tutoring each other, sometimes just talking through an assignment. Yet at least half of the class members would be working all alone. The importance of the overall social setting in the classroom as it relates to learning (Bruner, 1986, p. 86) and the central function of social interaction as learning occurs (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 106) seemed to have been ignored. Therefore, group mastery learning (GML), a cooperative learning tech- nique, was suggested as an antithesis to IML for teaching science over short periods. The cooperative mode of instruction considers learning as a cognitive as well as a social process, where students interact with each other as well as the teacher.To bring the social dimension back to science classrooms, the researchers chose to imple- ment GML in Grades 1 I and 12. The goal of the study was to investigate the GML's impact of the method on the individual student's academic achievement, creativity, self-esteem, and number of friends and on the overall learning environment of the classrooms. The researchers were also concerned with the students' attitudes toward earth science, the course being taught at the time of the experiment. Both cognitive and affective outcomes for students who participated in the cooperative GML approach were compared with outcomes for students who studied the same topic in an IML approach.The study addressed a number of questions related to academic and nonacademic outcomes of the two methods of study. First, it sought to determine whether academic achievement of the students taught in the cooperative GML mode would be different from the achievement of students who learned in an individualized method. Second, it sought to determine whether gains or losses would be seen in nonacademic outcomes, such as classroom learning environment, social relations, and students' self-esteem experienced by the students. The results of this study may support more use of cooperative learning in high school science.

Hierarchical prisoner’s dilemma in hierarchical game for resource competition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujimoto, Yuma; Sagawa, Takahiro; Kaneko, Kunihiko

2017-07-01

Dilemmas in cooperation are one of the major concerns in game theory. In a public goods game, each individual cooperates by paying a cost or defecting without paying it, and receives a reward from the group out of the collected cost. Thus, defecting is beneficial for each individual, while cooperation is beneficial for the group. Now, groups (say, countries) consisting of individuals also play games. To study such a multi-level game, we introduce a hierarchical game in which multiple groups compete for limited resources by utilizing the collected cost in each group, where the power to appropriate resources increases with the population of the group. Analyzing this hierarchical game, we found a hierarchical prisoner’s dilemma, in which groups choose the defecting policy (say, armament) as a Nash strategy to optimize each group’s benefit, while cooperation optimizes the total benefit. On the other hand, for each individual, refusing to pay the cost (say, tax) is a Nash strategy, which turns out to be a cooperation policy for the group, thus leading to a hierarchical dilemma. Here the group reward increases with the group size. However, we find that there exists an optimal group size that maximizes the individual payoff. Furthermore, when the population asymmetry between two groups is large, the smaller group will choose a cooperation policy (say, disarmament) to avoid excessive response from the larger group, and the prisoner’s dilemma between the groups is resolved. Accordingly, the relevance of this hierarchical game on policy selection in society and the optimal size of human or animal groups are discussed.

Evolutionary dynamics of general group interactions in structured populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Aming; Broom, Mark; Du, Jinming; Wang, Long

2016-02-01

The evolution of populations is influenced by many factors, and the simple classical models have been developed in a number of important ways. Both population structure and multiplayer interactions have been shown to significantly affect the evolution of important properties, such as the level of cooperation or of aggressive behavior. Here we combine these two key factors and develop the evolutionary dynamics of general group interactions in structured populations represented by regular graphs. The traditional linear and threshold public goods games are adopted as models to address the dynamics. We show that for linear group interactions, population structure can favor the evolution of cooperation compared to the well-mixed case, and we see that the more neighbors there are, the harder it is for cooperators to persist in structured populations. We further show that threshold group interactions could lead to the emergence of cooperation even in well-mixed populations. Here population structure sometimes inhibits cooperation for the threshold public goods game, where depending on the benefit to cost ratio, the outcomes are bistability or a monomorphic population of defectors or cooperators. Our results suggest, counterintuitively, that structured populations are not always beneficial for the evolution of cooperation for nonlinear group interactions.

Mother- and father-child mutuality in Anglo and Indian British families: a link with lower externalizing problems.

PubMed

Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Atzaba-Poria, Naama; Pike, Alison

2004-12-01

We observed mother- and father-child dyadic mutuality (responsiveness, interaction reciprocity, and cooperation), and its association with child behavior problems, in a socioeconomically and ethnically diverse sample of 125 male (51%) and female 7-to-9-year-old children. Dyadic mutuality and positivity were coded from in-home videotaped structured tasks, and parents completed ratings of child externalizing problems. Mothers showed more mutuality than fathers. The same child showed moderately similar mutuality with both of her or his parents (r = .47). Mutuality was higher among Anglo parents compared to Indian parents, an effect that was due in part to acculturation (i.e., years since immigration, native language use, traditional native culture attitudes). Greater mutuality, when coupled with dyadic positive affect, was associated with fewer externalizing problems (R2 = .24). This pattern held across gender, ethnic, and sociocconomic groups.

Cooperative Group Performance in Graduate Research Methodology Courses: The Role of Study Coping and Examination-Taking Coping Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiao, Qun G.; Collins, Kathleen M. T.; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.

2013-01-01

This study seeks to examine the extent to which cooperative group members' levels of coping strategies (study and examination-taking coping strategies) and the degree that heterogeneity (variability of study coping strategies and examination-taking coping strategies) predict cooperative groups' levels of achievement in research methodology…

What Are the Perceptions of Lecturers towards Using Cooperative Learning in Civil Engineering?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahern, Aoife

2007-01-01

The objective of the current paper is to examine how group learning and cooperative learning are used in civil engineering courses. The paper defines group learning and cooperative learning in the first section. It is hypothesized that group learning is used in civil engineering courses to build teamwork skills and communication skills among civil…

The Development of Cooperation: Explorations in Cognitive and Moral Competence and Social Authority.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutnick, P.J.; Brees, Patricia

1982-01-01

Three groups of children pursued sensitivity exercises, cooperative activities, and free play, respectively, over six weeks. Children in the sensitivity group (which promoted trust/dependence) showed less competitive and more cooperative behaviors on a cognitive task and more child-sensitivity on a moral task than the other two groups. (Author/MJL)

Inquiry and groups: student interactions in cooperative inquiry-based science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woods-McConney, Amanda; Wosnitza, Marold; Sturrock, Keryn L.

2016-03-01

Science education research has recommended cooperative inquiry based science in the primary science context for more than two decades but after more than 20 years, student achievement in science has not substantially improved. This study, through direct observation and analysis, investigated content-related student interactions in an authentic inquiry based primary science class setting. Thirty-one upper primary students were videotaped working in cooperative inquiry based science activities. Cooperative talk and negotiation of the science content was analysed to identify any high-level group interactions. The data show that while all groups have incidences of high-level content-related group interactions, the frequency and duration of these interactions were limited. No specific pattern of preceding events was identified and no episodes of high-level content-related group interactions were immediately preceded by the teacher's interactions with the groups. This in situ study demonstrated that even without any kind of scaffolding, specific skills in knowing how to implement cooperative inquiry based science, high-level content-related group interactions did occur very briefly. Support for teachers to develop their knowledge and skills in facilitating cooperative inquiry based science learning is warranted to ensure that high-level content-related group interactions and the associated conceptual learning are not left to chance in science classrooms.

A Cooperative Transportation Model for Occupational or Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Daniel J.

1976-01-01

Demonstrates the application of a mathematical model to the problem of cooperative busing across school districts for transportation to regional centers for occupational or special education. (Author)

Cooperative networks overcoming defectors by social influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez Portillo, Ignacio

2014-01-01

We address the cooperation problem in structured populations by considering the prisoner’s dilemma game as a metaphor of the social interactions between individuals with imitation capacity. We present a new strategy update rule called democratic weighted update where the individual’s behavior is socially influenced by each one of their neighbors. In particular, the capacity of an individual to socially influence other ones is proportional to its accumulated payoff. When in a neighborhood there are cooperators and defectors, the focal player is contradictorily influenced by them and, therefore, the effective social influence is given by the difference of the accumulated payoff of each strategy in its neighborhood. First, by considering the growing process of the network and neglecting mutations, we show the evolution of highly cooperative systems. Then, we broadly show that the social influence allows to overcome the emergence of defectors into highly cooperative systems. In this way, we conclude that in a structured system formed by a growing process, the cooperation evolves if the individuals have an imitation capacity socially influenced by each one of their neighbors. Therefore, here we present a theoretical solution of the cooperation problem among genetically unrelated individuals.

Promotion of cooperation by selective group extinction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böttcher, Marvin A.; Nagler, Jan

2016-06-01

Multilevel selection is an important organizing principle that crucially underlies evolutionary processes from the emergence of cells to eusociality and the economics of nations. Previous studies on multilevel selection assumed that the effective higher-level selection emerges from lower-level reproduction. This leads to selection among groups, although only individuals reproduce. We introduce selective group extinction, where groups die with a probability inversely proportional to their group fitness. When accounting for this the critical benefit-to-cost ratio is substantially lowered. Because in game theory and evolutionary dynamics the degree of cooperation crucially depends on this ratio above which cooperation emerges, previous studies may have substantially underestimated the establishment and maintenance of cooperation.

Towards Water Sensitive City: Lesson Learned From Bogor Flood Hazard in 2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramdhan, Muhammad; Arifin, Hadi Susilo; Suharnoto, Yuli; Tarigan, Suria Darma

2018-02-01

Bogor known as rain city and it's located at an altitude range of 190-330 meters above sea level. In February 2017 Bogor experienced a series of natural disasters related to heavy rainfall that fell during that time. The hazard in the form of flash floods that cause casualties was shocked, due to the location of Bogor city that located in the foothills with a fairly steep slope. There is a problem with the drainage system in the city of Bogor. Australia Indonesia Center in cooperation with Bogor city government held a focus group discussion to seek a permanent solution for the problems and so that similar incidents do not occur in the future.

Oxytocin promotes intuitive rather than deliberated cooperation with the in-group.

PubMed

Ten Velden, Femke S; Daughters, Katie; De Dreu, Carsten K W

2017-06-01

A contribution to a special issue on Hormones and Human Competition. In intergroup settings, individuals prefer cooperating with their in-group, and sometimes derogate and punish out-groups. Here we replicate earlier work showing that such in-group bounded cooperation is conditioned by oxytocin and extend it by showing that oxytocin-motivated in-group cooperation is intuitive rather than deliberated. Healthy males (N=65) and females (N=129) self-administered intranasal placebo or 24IU oxytocin in a double-blind placebo-controlled between-subjects design, were assigned to a three-person in-group (that faced a 3-person out-group), and given an endowment from which they could contribute to a within-group pool (benefitting the in-group), and/or to a between-group pool (benefitting the in-group and punishing the out-group). Prior to decision-making, participants performed a Stroop Interference task that was either cognitively taxing, or not. Cognitively taxed individuals kept less to themselves and contributed more to the within-group pool. Furthermore, participants receiving placebo contributed more to the within-group pool when they were cognitively taxed rather than not; those receiving oxytocin contributed to the within-group pool regardless of cognitive taxation. Neither taxation nor treatment influenced contributions to the between-group pool, and no significant sex differences were observed. It follows that in intergroup settings (i) oxytocin increases in-group bounded cooperation, (ii) oxytocin neither reduces nor increases out-group directed spite, and (iii) oxytocin-induced in-group cooperation is independent of cognitive taxation and, therefore, likely to be intuitive rather than consciously deliberated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Searching for solutions for territorial disputes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LaBella, J.W.

Late in 1986 the boards of directors of the American Public Power Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association appointed a joint task force to examine and propose solutions to the pervasive problem of territorial disputes. Municipal electric systems and rural electric cooperatives have many common interests. In the legislative and regulatory halls of Washington, they jointly work for fair treatment and low costs for electric customers and they support each other on issues related to power supply. But the backyard brawls over which utility will serve which group of customers are fierce and potentially crippling to the nationalmore » alliance. The disputes typically arise when a municipality annexes territory. In communities served by a local publicly owned electric system, the new larger city wants to provide electric service in the newly annexed area. The rural electric cooperative that brought electricity to the area is not economically positioned to simply turn over those customers. Cities that provide other utility services feel they should also be permitted to provide electric service. Twenty-one suggestions (or possible solutions identified) are listed here.« less

Teachers' and students' verbal behaviours during cooperative and small-group learning.

PubMed

Gillies, Robyn M

2006-06-01

Teachers play a critical role in promoting interactions between students and engaging them in the learning process. This study builds on a study by Hertz-Lazarowitz and Shachar (1990) who found that during cooperative learning teachers' verbal behaviours were more helpful to and encouraging of their students' efforts while during whole-class instruction, their verbal behaviours tended to be more authoritarian, rigid, and impersonal. This study seeks to determine if teachers who implement cooperative learning engage in more facilitative learning interactions with their students than teachers who implement group work only. The study also seeks to determine if students in the cooperative groups model their teachers' behaviours and engage in more positive helping interactions with each other than their peers in the group work groups. The study involved 26 teachers and 303 students in Grades 8 to 10 from 4 large high schools in Brisbane, Australia. All teachers agreed to establish cooperative, small-group activities in their classrooms for a unit of work (4 to 6 weeks) once a term for 3 school terms. The teachers were audiotaped twice during these lessons and samples of the students' language, as they worked in their groups, were also collected at the same time. The results show that teachers who implement cooperative learning in their classrooms engage in more mediated-learning interactions and make fewer disciplinary comments than teachers who implement group work only. Furthermore, the students model many of these interactions in their groups. The study shows that when teachers implement cooperative learning, their verbal behaviour is affected by the organizational structure of the classroom.

Intelligent resources for satellite ground control operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Patricia M.

1994-01-01

This paper describes a cooperative approach to the design of intelligent automation and describes the Mission Operations Cooperative Assistant for NASA Goddard flight operations. The cooperative problem solving approach is being explored currently in the context of providing support for human operator teams and also in the definition of future advanced automation in ground control systems.

Do hernia operations in african international cooperation programmes provide good quality?

PubMed

Gil, J; Rodríguez, J M; Hernández, Q; Gil, E; Balsalobre, M D; González, M; Torregrosa, N; Verdú, T; Alcaráz, M; Parrilla, P

2012-12-01

Hernia is especially prevalent in developing countries where the population is obliged to undertake strenuous work in order to survive, and International Cooperation Programmes are helping to solve this problem. However, the quality of surgical interventions is unknown. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the quality of hernia repair processes carried out by the Surgical Solidarity Charity in Central African States. A total of 524 cases of inguinal hernia repair carried out in Cameroon and Mali during 2005 to 2009 were compared with 386 cases treated in a Multicentre Spanish Study (2003). General data (clinical, demographic, etc.), type of surgery, complications, and effectiveness and efficiency indicators were collected. Preoperative studies in the Spanish group were greater in number than in the African group. The use of local anesthesia was similar. Antibiotic prophylaxis was higher in the African group (100% to 75.4%). The use of mesh was similar. The incidence of hematomas was higher in the Spanish group (11.61% to 4.61%), but the incidence of infection of the wound and of hernia recurrence was similar, although follow-up was only carried out in 20.97% in the African group (70% in the Spanish group). Hospital stay of more than 24 h was higher in the Spanish group. The standard quality of surgery for the treatment of hernia in developing countries with few instrumental means, and in sub-optimal surgical conditions is similar to that provided in Spain.

Multi-Objective Optimization for Trustworthy Tactical Networks: A Survey and Insights

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed , and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding...problems: using repeated cooperative games [12], hedonic games [25], and nontransferable utility cooperative games [27]. It should be noted that trust...examined an optimal task allocation problem in a distributed computing system where program modules need to be allocated to different processors to

Physicians in health care management: 10. Managing conflict through negotiation.

PubMed Central

Lemieux-Charles, L

1994-01-01

The recent focus on collaborative relationships in health care means that people and groups must cooperate to accomplish clinical and management tasks. This increasing interdependence may also cause increased organizational conflict. The management of conflicts is critical to the effectiveness of an organization. Negotiating strategies, based on Fisher and Ury's method of "principled negotiation," include establishing superordinate goals, separating the people from the problem, focussing on interests, inventing options, using objective criteria and defining success in terms of gains. PMID:7922944

Can continuous glucose monitoring be used for the treatment of diabetes.

PubMed

Reach, G; Wilson, G S

1992-03-15

In the case of the glucose sensor, clinicians and chemists must cooperate in interdisciplinary research to carefully define the analytical problem. Although not specifically discussed in this article, another group that must participate in this effort is engineers. Their expertise is needed to design the monitoring and control unit that contains the alarm and pump systems. The glucose sensor must operate reliably in an in vivo environment, provide the clinical information needed, and be easy to operate and manufacture.

Group learning versus local learning: Which is prefer for public cooperation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shi-Han; Song, Qi-Qing

2018-01-01

We study the evolution of cooperation in public goods games on various graphs, focusing on the effects that are brought by different kinds of strategy donors. This highlights a basic feature of a public good game, for which there exists a remarkable difference between the interactive players and the players who are imitated. A player can learn from all the groups where the player is a member or from the typically local nearest neighbors, and the results show that the group learning rules have better performance in promoting cooperation on many networks than the local learning rules. The heterogeneity of networks' degree may be an effective mechanism for harvesting the cooperation expectation in many cases, however, we find that heterogeneity does not definitely mean the high frequency of cooperators in a population under group learning rules. It was shown that cooperators always hardly evolve whenever the interaction and the replacement do not coincide for evolutionary pairwise dilemmas on graphs, while for PG games we find that breaking the symmetry is conducive to the survival of cooperators.

The ecology of cooperative breeding behaviour.

PubMed

Shen, Sheng-Feng; Emlen, Stephen T; Koenig, Walter D; Rubenstein, Dustin R

2017-06-01

Ecology is a fundamental driving force for the evolutionary transition from solitary living to breeding cooperatively in groups. However, the fact that both benign and harsh, as well as stable and fluctuating, environments can favour the evolution of cooperative breeding behaviour constitutes a paradox of environmental quality and sociality. Here, we propose a new model - the dual benefits framework - for resolving this paradox. Our framework distinguishes between two categories of grouping benefits - resource defence benefits that derive from group-defended critical resources and collective action benefits that result from social cooperation among group members - and uses insider-outsider conflict theory to simultaneously consider the interests of current group members (insiders) and potential joiners (outsiders) in determining optimal group size. We argue that the different grouping benefits realised from resource defence and collective action profoundly affect insider-outsider conflict resolution, resulting in predictable differences in the per capita productivity, stable group size, kin structure and stability of the social group. We also suggest that different types of environmental variation (spatial vs. temporal) select for societies that form because of the different grouping benefits, thus helping to resolve the paradox of why cooperative breeding evolves in such different types of environments. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Enroute flight planning: Evaluating design concepts for the development of cooperative problem-solving systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Philip J.

1995-01-01

There are many problem-solving tasks that are too complex to fully automate given the current state of technology. Nevertheless, significant improvements in overall system performance could result from the introduction of well-designed computer aids. We have been studying the development of cognitive tools for one such problem-solving task, enroute flight path planning for commercial airlines. Our goal has been two-fold. First, we have been developing specific system designs to help with this important practical problem. Second, we have been using this context to explore general design concepts to guide in the development of cooperative problem-solving systems. These design concepts are described below, along with illustrations of their application.

Self-Coexistence among IEEE 802.22 Networks: Distributed Allocation of Power and Channel

PubMed Central

Sakin, Sayef Azad; Alamri, Atif; Tran, Nguyen H.

2017-01-01

Ensuring self-coexistence among IEEE 802.22 networks is a challenging problem owing to opportunistic access of incumbent-free radio resources by users in co-located networks. In this study, we propose a fully-distributed non-cooperative approach to ensure self-coexistence in downlink channels of IEEE 802.22 networks. We formulate the self-coexistence problem as a mixed-integer non-linear optimization problem for maximizing the network data rate, which is an NP-hard one. This work explores a sub-optimal solution by dividing the optimization problem into downlink channel allocation and power assignment sub-problems. Considering fairness, quality of service and minimum interference for customer-premises-equipment, we also develop a greedy algorithm for channel allocation and a non-cooperative game-theoretic framework for near-optimal power allocation. The base stations of networks are treated as players in a game, where they try to increase spectrum utilization by controlling power and reaching a Nash equilibrium point. We further develop a utility function for the game to increase the data rate by minimizing the transmission power and, subsequently, the interference from neighboring networks. A theoretical proof of the uniqueness and existence of the Nash equilibrium has been presented. Performance improvements in terms of data-rate with a degree of fairness compared to a cooperative branch-and-bound-based algorithm and a non-cooperative greedy approach have been shown through simulation studies. PMID:29215591

Self-Coexistence among IEEE 802.22 Networks: Distributed Allocation of Power and Channel.

PubMed

Sakin, Sayef Azad; Razzaque, Md Abdur; Hassan, Mohammad Mehedi; Alamri, Atif; Tran, Nguyen H; Fortino, Giancarlo

2017-12-07

Ensuring self-coexistence among IEEE 802.22 networks is a challenging problem owing to opportunistic access of incumbent-free radio resources by users in co-located networks. In this study, we propose a fully-distributed non-cooperative approach to ensure self-coexistence in downlink channels of IEEE 802.22 networks. We formulate the self-coexistence problem as a mixed-integer non-linear optimization problem for maximizing the network data rate, which is an NP-hard one. This work explores a sub-optimal solution by dividing the optimization problem into downlink channel allocation and power assignment sub-problems. Considering fairness, quality of service and minimum interference for customer-premises-equipment, we also develop a greedy algorithm for channel allocation and a non-cooperative game-theoretic framework for near-optimal power allocation. The base stations of networks are treated as players in a game, where they try to increase spectrum utilization by controlling power and reaching a Nash equilibrium point. We further develop a utility function for the game to increase the data rate by minimizing the transmission power and, subsequently, the interference from neighboring networks. A theoretical proof of the uniqueness and existence of the Nash equilibrium has been presented. Performance improvements in terms of data-rate with a degree of fairness compared to a cooperative branch-and-bound-based algorithm and a non-cooperative greedy approach have been shown through simulation studies.

The conflict of social norms may cause the collapse of cooperation: indirect reciprocity with opposing attitudes towards in-group favoritism.

PubMed

Matsuo, Tadasu; Jusup, Marko; Iwasa, Yoh

2014-04-07

Indirect reciprocity is a cooperation maintaining mechanism based on the social evaluation of players. Here, we consider the case of a group in which two social norms with opposing attitudes towards in-group favoritism are mixed. One norm, called Bushido (the way of warriors), regards cooperation with outsiders as betrayal, whereas the second norm, called Shonindo (the way of merchants), regards cooperation with outsiders as desirable. Each member of the group, irrespective of being a Bushido or a Shonindo player, is evaluated in two different ways and assigned two different labels: "ally" or "enemy" according to the Bushido evaluation; "good" or "bad" according to the Shonindo evaluation. These labels change in response to the action taken (cooperation or defection) when acting as a donor, as well as the label attached to the recipient. In addition to Bushido players, who cooperate with an ally and defect from an enemy, and Shonindo players, who cooperate with a good recipient and defect from a bad recipient, the group contains a third kind of players--unconditional defectors. The fractions of the three types of players follow the replicator dynamics. If the probability of interacting with outsiders is small, and if the cost-to-benefit ratio of cooperation is low, we observe several important patterns. Each social norm is able to maintain a high level of cooperation when dominant. Bushido and Shonindo players evaluate each other unfavorably and engage in a severe conflict. In the end, only one norm permeates the whole group driving the other to the extinction. When both social norms are equally effective, a rare occurrence of unconditional defectors may lead to a successful invasion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cooperation during cultural group formation promotes trust towards members of out-groups.

PubMed

Pan, Xiaofei Sophia; Houser, Daniel

2013-07-07

People often cooperate with members of their own group, and discriminate against members of other groups. Previous research establishes that cultural groups can form endogenously, and that these groups demonstrate in-group favouritism. Given the presence of cultural groups, the previous literature argues that cultural evolution selects for groups that exhibit parochial altruism. The source of initial variation in these traits, however, remains uninformed. We show here that a group's economic production environment may substantially influence parochial tendencies, with groups formed around more cooperative production (CP) displaying less parochialism than groups formed around more independent production (IP) processes. Participants randomized into CP and IP production tasks formed cultural groups, and subsequently played hidden-action trust games with in-group and out-group trustees. We found CP to be associated with significantly greater sharing and exchanging behaviours than IP. In trust games, significant parochial altruism (in-group favouritism combined with out-group discrimination) was displayed by members of IP groups. By contrast, members of CP groups did not engage in either in-group favouritism or out-group discrimination. Further, we found the absence of out-group discrimination in CP to persist even following 'betrayal'. Finally, belief data suggest that members of CP are not more intrinsically generous than IP members, but rather more likely to believe that out-group trustees will positively reciprocate. Our results have important implications for anyone interested in building cooperative teams, and shed new light on connections between culture and cooperation.

Punishment can promote defection in group-structured populations.

PubMed

Powers, Simon T; Taylor, Daniel J; Bryson, Joanna J

2012-10-21

Pro-social punishment, whereby cooperators punish defectors, is often suggested as a mechanism that maintains cooperation in large human groups. Importantly, models that support this idea have to date only allowed defectors to be the target of punishment. However, recent empirical work has demonstrated the existence of anti-social punishment in public goods games. That is, individuals that defect have been found to also punish cooperators. Some recent theoretical studies have found that such anti-social punishment can prevent the evolution of pro-social punishment and cooperation. However, the evolution of anti-social punishment in group-structured populations has not been formally addressed. Previous work has informally argued that group-structure must favour pro-social punishment. Here we formally investigate how two demographic factors, group size and dispersal frequency, affect selection pressures on pro- and anti-social punishment. Contrary to the suggestions of previous work, we find that anti-social punishment can prevent the evolution of pro-social punishment and cooperation under a range of group structures. Given that anti-social punishment has now been found in all studied extant human cultures, the claims of previous models showing the co-evolution of pro-social punishment and cooperation in group-structured populations should be re-evaluated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Randomness in the network inhibits cooperation based on the bounded rational collective altruistic decision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohdaira, Tetsushi

2014-07-01

Previous studies discussing cooperation employ the best decision that every player knows all information regarding the payoff matrix and selects the strategy of the highest payoff. Therefore, they do not discuss cooperation based on the altruistic decision with limited information (bounded rational altruistic decision). In addition, they do not cover the case where every player can submit his/her strategy several times in a match of the game. This paper is based on Ohdaira's reconsideration of the bounded rational altruistic decision, and also employs the framework of the prisoner's dilemma game (PDG) with sequential strategy. The distinction between this study and the Ohdaira's reconsideration is that the former covers the model of multiple groups, but the latter deals with the model of only two groups. Ohdaira's reconsideration shows that the bounded rational altruistic decision facilitates much more cooperation in the PDG with sequential strategy than Ohdaira and Terano's bounded rational second-best decision does. However, the detail of cooperation of multiple groups based on the bounded rational altruistic decision has not been resolved yet. This study, therefore, shows how randomness in the network composed of multiple groups affects the increase of the average frequency of mutual cooperation (cooperation between groups) based on the bounded rational altruistic decision of multiple groups. We also discuss the results of the model in comparison with related studies which employ the best decision.

Cooperation Improves Success during Intergroup Competition: An Analysis Using Data from Professional Soccer Tournaments.

PubMed

David, Gwendolyn Kim; Wilson, Robbie Stuart

2015-01-01

The benefit mutually gained by cooperators is considered the ultimate explanation for why cooperation evolved among non-relatives. During intergroup competition, cooperative behaviours within groups that provide a competitive edge over their opposition should be favoured by selection, particularly in lethal human warfare. Aside from forming larger groups, three other ways that individuals within a group can cooperate to improve their chances of gaining a mutual benefit are: (i) greater networking, (ii) contributing more effort, and (iii) dividing labour. Greater cooperation is expected to increase the chances of gaining a group benefit by improving proficiency in the tasks critical to success-yet empirical tests of this prediction using real-world cases are absent. In this study, we used data derived from 12 international and professional soccer competitions to test the predictions that: 1) greater levels of cooperative behaviour are associated with winning group contests, 2) the three forms of cooperation differ in relative importance for winning matches, 3) competition and tournament-type affect the levels of cooperation and shooting proficiency in matches, and 4) greater levels of networking behaviour are associated with increased proficiency in the most critical task linked with winning success in soccer-shooting at goal. Winners were best predicted by higher shooting proficiency, followed by greater frequencies of networking interactions within a team but unexpectedly, fewer networking partners and less division of labour. Although significant variation was detected across competitions and tournament-types, greater levels of networking behaviour were consistently associated with increased proficiency in shooting at goal, which in turn was linked with winning success. This study empirically supports the idea that intergroup competition can favour cooperation among non-relatives.

Incipient Social Groups: An Analysis via In-Vivo Behavioral Tracking

PubMed Central

Halberstadt, Jamin; Jackson, Joshua Conrad; Bilkey, David; Jong, Jonathan; Whitehouse, Harvey; McNaughton, Craig; Zollmann, Stefanie

2016-01-01

Social psychology is fundamentally the study of individuals in groups, yet there remain basic unanswered questions about group formation, structure, and change. We argue that the problem is methodological. Until recently, there was no way to track who was interacting with whom with anything approximating valid resolution and scale. In the current study we describe a new method that applies recent advances in image-based tracking to study incipient group formation and evolution with experimental precision and control. In this method, which we term “in vivo behavioral tracking,” we track individuals’ movements with a high definition video camera mounted atop a large field laboratory. We report results of an initial study that quantifies the composition, structure, and size of the incipient groups. We also apply in-vivo spatial tracking to study participants’ tendency to cooperate as a function of their embeddedness in those crowds. We find that participants form groups of seven on average, are more likely to approach others of similar attractiveness and (to a lesser extent) gender, and that participants’ gender and attractiveness are both associated with their proximity to the spatial center of groups (such that women and attractive individuals are more likely than men and unattractive individuals to end up in the center of their groups). Furthermore, participants’ proximity to others early in the study predicted the effort they exerted in a subsequent cooperative task, suggesting that submergence in a crowd may predict social loafing. We conclude that in vivo behavioral tracking is a uniquely powerful new tool for answering longstanding, fundamental questions about group dynamics. PMID:27007952

Do social groups prevent Allee effect related extinctions?: The case of wild dogs.

PubMed

Angulo, Elena; Rasmussen, Greg S A; Macdonald, David W; Courchamp, Franck

2013-03-15

Allee effects may arise as the number of individuals decreases, thereby reducing opportunities for cooperation and constraining individual fitness, which can lead to population decrease and extinction. Obligate cooperative breeders rely on a minimum group size to subsist and are thus expected to be particularly susceptible to Allee effects. Although Allee effects in some components of the fitness of cooperative breeders have been detected, empirical confirmation of population extinction due to Allee effects is lacking yet. Because previous studies of cooperation have focused on Allee effects affecting individual fitness (component Allee effect) and population dynamics (demographic Allee effect), we argue that a new conceptual level of Allee effect, the group Allee effect, is needed to understand the special case of cooperative breeders. We hypothesize that whilst individuals are vulnerable to Allee effects, the group could act as a buffer against population extinction if: (i) individual fitness and group fate depend on group size but not on population size and (ii) group size is independent of population size (that is, at any population size, populations comprise both large and small groups). We found that both conditions apply for the African wild dog, Lycaon pictus, and data on this species in Zimbabwe support our hypothesis. The importance of groups in obligate cooperative breeders needs to be accounted for within the Allee effect framework, through a group Allee effect, because the group mediates the relationship between individual fitness and population performance. Whilst sociality is associated with a high probability of Allee effects, we suggest that cooperative individuals organized in relatively autonomous groups within populations might be behaving in ways that diminish extinction risks caused by Allee effects. This study opens new avenues to a better understanding of the role of the evolution of group-living on the probability of extinction faced by social species.

A theory of leadership in human cooperative groups.

PubMed

Hooper, Paul L; Kaplan, Hillard S; Boone, James L

2010-08-21

Two types of models aim to account the origins of rank differentiation and social hierarchy in human societies. Conflict models suggest that the formation of social hierarchies is synonymous with the establishment of relationships of coercive social dominance and exploitation. Voluntary or 'integrative' models, on the other hand, suggest that rank differentiation--the differentiation of leader from follower, ruler from ruled, or state from subject--may sometimes be preferred over more egalitarian social arrangements as a solution to the challenges of life in social groups, such as conflict over resources, coordination failures, and free-riding in cooperative relationships. Little formal theoretical work, however, has established whether and under what conditions individuals would indeed prefer the establishment of more hierarchical relationships over more egalitarian alternatives. This paper provides an evolutionary game theoretical model for the acceptance of leadership in cooperative groups. We propose that the effort of a leader can reduce the likelihood that cooperation fails due to free-riding or coordination errors, and that under some circumstances, individuals would prefer to cooperate in a group under the supervision of a leader who receives a share of the group's productivity than to work in an unsupervised group. We suggest, in particular, that this becomes an optimal solution for individual decision makers when the number of group members required for collective action exceeds the maximum group size at which leaderless cooperation is viable.

Evaluating learning and teaching using the Force Concept Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zitzewitz, Paul

1997-04-01

Teaching methods used in the calculus-based mechanics course for engineers and scientists (P150) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn were markedly changed in September, 1996. Lectures emphasize active learning with Mazur's ConcepTests, Sokoloff's Interactive Demonstrations, and Van Heuvelen's ALPS Kit worksheets. Students solve context-rich problems using Van Heuvelen's multiple representation format in cooperative groups in discussion sections. Labs were changed to use MBL emphasizing concepts and Experiment Problems to learn lab-based problem solving. Pre- and post-testing of 400 students with the Force Concept Inventory has demonstrated considerable success. The average increase in score has been 35-45methods as defined by Hake. The methods and results will be discussed. Detailed analyses of the FCI results will look at success in teaching specific concepts and the effect of student preparation in mathematics and high school physics.

Cooperative Learning in a Hong Kong Primary School: Perceptions, Problems and Accommodation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Kam Wing

2014-01-01

Some educators may see cooperative learning as a Western pedagogy that is difficult to use in Eastern countries with a Confucian Heritage, while others argue that the philosophy of Confucius parallels the elements of cooperative learning. This article reports the key findings of a 2-year longitudinal study that investigated the perceptions of…

A Scale Development for Teacher Competencies on Cooperative Learning Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kocabas, Ayfer; Erbil, Deniz Gokce

2017-01-01

Cooperative learning method is a learning method studied both in Turkey and in the world for long years as an active learning method. Although cooperative learning method takes place in training programs, it cannot be implemented completely in the direction of its principles. The results of the researches point out that teachers have problems with…

Mining Learning Social Networks for Cooperative Learning with Appropriate Learning Partners in a Problem-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chih-Ming; Chang, Chia-Cheng

2014-01-01

Many studies have identified web-based cooperative learning as an increasingly popular educational paradigm with potential to increase learner satisfaction and interactions. However, peer-to-peer interaction often suffers barriers owing to a failure to explore useful social interaction information in web-based cooperative learning environments.…

A Research Design for Library Cooperative Planning and Action in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booz Allen and Hamilton, Inc., Washington, DC.

The development of interlibrary cooperation in the National Capitol Area is not a simple task. The multiple, complex relations of governments on varying levels and the existence and independent sponsorship of important private association, industrial, academic and other libraries impose severe problems for any cooperative movement. A far-reaching…

Evolutionary Dynamics of Collective Action in Structured Populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Marta Daniela de Almeida

The pervasiveness of cooperation in Nature is not easily explained. If evolution is characterized by competition and survival of the fittest, why should selfish individuals cooperate with each other? Evolutionary Game Theory (EGT) provides a suitable mathematical framework to study this problem, central to many areas of science. Conventionally, interactions between individuals are modeled in terms of one-shot, symmetric 2-Person Dilemmas of Cooperation, but many real-life situations involve decisions within groups with more than 2 individuals, which are best-dealt in the framework of N-Person games. In this Thesis, we investigate the evolutionary dynamics of two paradigmatic collective social dilemmas - the N-Person Prisoner's Dilemma (NPD) and the N-Person Snowdrift Game (NSG) on structured populations, modeled by networks with diverse topological properties. Cooperative strategies are just one example of the many traits that can be transmitted on social networks. Several recent studies based on empirical evidence from a medical database have suggested the existence of a 3 degrees of influence rule, according to which not only our "friends", but also our friends' friends, and our friends' friends' friends, have a non-trivial influence on our decisions. We investigate the degree of peer influence that emerges from the spread of cooperative strategies, opinions and diseases on populations with distinct underlying networks of contacts. Our results show that networks naturally entangle individuals into interactions of many-body nature and that for each network class considered different processes lead to identical degrees of influence. None

The Investigation of the Effects of Physical Education Lessons Planned in Accordance with Cooperative Learning Approach on Secondary School Students' Problem Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorucu, Alpaslan

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present research was to investigate the effects of physical education lessons planned in accordance with cooperative learning approach on secondary school students' problem solving skills. The research was conducted on 48 students studying at Konya/Selçuklu Sehit Mustafa Çuhadar Secondary School in fall semester of 2015-2016…

Using a Problem Solving-Cooperative Learning Approach to Improve Students' Skills for Interpreting [Superscript 1]H NMR Spectra of Unknown Compounds in an Organic Spectroscopy Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angawi, Rihab F.

2014-01-01

To address third- and fourth-year chemistry students' difficulties with the challenge of interpreting [superscript 1]H NMR spectra, a problem solving-cooperative learning technique was incorporated in a Spectra of Organic Compounds course. Using this approach helped students deepen their understanding of the basics of [superscript 1]H NMR…

Computers and Cooperative Learning. Tech Use Guide: Using Computer Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council for Exceptional Children, Reston, VA. Center for Special Education Technology.

This guide focuses on the use of computers and cooperative learning techniques in classrooms that include students with disabilities. The guide outlines the characteristics of cooperative learning such as goal interdependence, individual accountability, and heterogeneous groups, emphasizing the value of each group member. Several cooperative…

Cooperation between law enforcement officers and forensic specialists. Diagnosis and possible improvements - a Lithuanian experience.

PubMed

Malewski, Henryk; Kurapka, Vidmantas Egidijus; Matulienė, Snieguolnė; Navickienė, Žaneta

The article investigates the characteristics and forms of cooperation between criminal investigation officers* and forensic laboratory specialists in pre-trial proceedings, as well as practical problems in such cooperation. Recently there have been a number of particularly heated debates about the relationship between determining a person possessing special knowledge and his/her status in pre-trial proceedings. Other discussed aspects include cooperation between entities involved in pre-trial proceedings in international contexts. A less intensive (albeit equally important) discussion relates to the form and characteristics of cooperation between criminal investigation officers on the one hand and specialists and experts on the other in investigating criminal acts. Bearing in mind the high practical importance and the existing differences in scholarly approaches to these issues, the current study concentrates on the forms and content of cooperation between law enforcement officers and specialists (experts) from forensic laboratories, as well as on problems resulting from such cooperation and directions for improvement. The first part of the article presents selected views on the definition of a person possessing special knowledge currently used in Lithuania** and in a number of other states. In the authors' opinion, unification (harmonization) of various notions (definitions), terms and statuses of an expert, a specialist and special knowledge should be one of the objectives in implementing the vision of the joint European forensic science area 2020. Achieving this objective requires a comprehensive analysis of standards in law and management in using special knowledge of each state***. The second part, supported by empirical study results, discusses practical problems of cooperation between a law enforcement officer and a specialist (expert), analyzes three basic forms of their cooperation and presents the content of those forms: activities at the crime scene, cooperation of the two entities in commissioning tests, preparing test materials and actual performance of such tests, and finally participation of a specialist in other pre-trial activities. This part of the paper also proposes methods of improving the efficiency of such cooperation. The third part is based on an evaluation of the study results and presents the authors' observations regarding the tendency of improving the efficiency of cooperation between law enforcement officers and specialists (experts).

Multilevel selection analysis of a microbial social trait

PubMed Central

de Vargas Roditi, Laura; Boyle, Kerry E; Xavier, Joao B

2013-01-01

The study of microbial communities often leads to arguments for the evolution of cooperation due to group benefits. However, multilevel selection models caution against the uncritical assumption that group benefits will lead to the evolution of cooperation. We analyze a microbial social trait to precisely define the conditions favoring cooperation. We combine the multilevel partition of the Price equation with a laboratory model system: swarming in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We parameterize a population dynamics model using competition experiments where we manipulate expression, and therefore the cost-to-benefit ratio of swarming cooperation. Our analysis shows that multilevel selection can favor costly swarming cooperation because it causes population expansion. However, due to high costs and diminishing returns constitutive cooperation can only be favored by natural selection when relatedness is high. Regulated expression of cooperative genes is a more robust strategy because it provides the benefits of swarming expansion without the high cost or the diminishing returns. Our analysis supports the key prediction that strong group selection does not necessarily mean that microbial cooperation will always emerge. PMID:23959025

Teaching Theory in Occupational Therapy Using a Cooperative Learning: A Mixed-Methods Study.

PubMed

Howe, Tsu-Hsin; Sheu, Ching-Fan; Hinojosa, Jim

2018-01-01

Cooperative learning provides an important vehicle for active learning, as knowledge is socially constructed through interaction with others. This study investigated the effect of cooperative learning on occupational therapy (OT) theory knowledge attainment in professional-level OT students in a classroom environment. Using a pre- and post-test group design, 24 first-year, entry-level OT students participated while taking a theory course in their second semester of the program. Cooperative learning methods were implemented via in-class group assignments. The students were asked to complete two questionnaires regarding their attitudes toward group environments and their perception toward group learning before and after the semester. MANCOVA was used to examine changes in attitudes and perceived learning among groups. Students' summary sheets for each in-class assignment and course evaluations were collected for content analysis. Results indicated significant changes in students' attitude toward working in small groups regardless of their prior group experience.

Cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma game on tunable community networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Penghui; Liu, Jing

2017-04-01

Community networks have attracted lots of attention as they widely exist in the real world and are essential to study properties of networks. As the game theory illustrates the competitive relationship among individuals, studying the iterated prisoner's dilemma games (PDG) on community networks is meaningful. In this paper, we focus on investigating the relationship between the cooperation level of community networks and that of their communities in the prisoner's dilemma games. With this purpose in mind, a type of tunable community networks whose communities inherit not only the scale-free property, but also the characteristic of adjustable cooperation level of Holme and Kim (HK) networks is designed. Both uniform and non-uniform community networks are investigated. We find out that cooperation enhancement of communities can improve the cooperation level of the whole networks. Moreover, simulation results indicate that a large community is a better choice than a small community to improve the cooperation level of the whole networks. Thus, improving the cooperation level of community networks can be divided into a number of sub-problems targeting at improving the cooperation level of individual communities, which can save the computation cost and deal with the problem of improving the cooperation level of huge community networks. Moreover, as the larger community is a better choice, it is reasonable to start with large communities, according to the greedy strategy when the number of nodes can participate in the enhancement is limited.

Classifying Academically At-Risk First Graders into Engagement Types: Association with Long-Term Achievement Trajectories

PubMed Central

Hughes, Jan N.; Liew, Jeffrey; Kwok, Oiman

2008-01-01

Based on a sample of 480 academically at-risk first graders, we used a cluster analysis involving multimethod assessment (i.e., teacher-report, peer-evaluation, and self-report) of behavioral and psychological engagement to identify subtypes of academic engagement. Four theoretically and practically meaningful clusters were identified and labeled as cooperative (n = 95), resistive (n =96), enthusiastic (n = 188), and disaffected (n = 101). The four types did not differ in IQ measured with the Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test. The cooperative group consisted of more female and Hispanic students, whereas the resistive group consisted of more male and African American students. The cooperative group was the most popular among peers, followed by the enthusiastic group. The disaffected and resistive groups had more emotional symptoms than the cooperative and enthusiastic groups. Academic engagement types also differed in growth trajectories of academic achievement measured with Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement from second to fourth grade. For reading, the cooperative and enthusiastic groups outperformed the resistive and disaffected groups at the beginning. However, the growth rate was similar across engagement types. For math, the engagement types did not differ at the beginning. However, the cooperative group developed at a faster rate and had higher math achievement by fourth grade than the other types. The findings support the importance of teaching temperament-based regulatory skills and of providing a positive psychological climate for children's academic learning. PMID:19343104

The ethics of conducting a co-operative inquiry with vulnerable people.

PubMed

Tee, Stephen R; Lathlean, Judith A

2004-09-01

Mental health services users have been calling for greater participation in clinical research. Participation in this context means research 'with' rather than 'on' groups of people. Conducting a co-operative inquiry involving the participation of vulnerable individuals as co-researchers, in particular those with a history of mental health problems, places an obligation on researchers to articulate and justify sound ethical procedures. The aim of this paper is to consider how the ethical issues encountered when conducting participative research with vulnerable people can be addressed in the implementation of a co-operative inquiry with users of mental health services. The study was based on personal reflection and a critical review of associated literature obtained from a database search using Boolean logic. The findings, presented under the headings of the four prima facie moral principles, suggest the need for researchers using participative approaches to demonstrate the humanistic attributes required for engaging and working with people over a period of time. These include building and maintaining trusting relationships, assessing competence to participate, managing interpersonal and group dynamics and making complex collaborative decisions about participants' continued participation in a study. When using a co-operative inquiry approach involving vulnerable individuals, researchers need to demonstrate clearly how a balance between autonomy and paternalism will be achieved, how risks will be anticipated and managed and how fairness will be maintained throughout all procedures. Researchers using participative approaches need to have developed a level of personal insight and self-awareness through access to supervision which focuses on sources of unintended manipulation and interpersonal dynamics that may arise at the inception of a study and throughout its course. Researchers and ethics committees have a shared responsibility to ensure that vulnerable people are appropriately engaged to maintain the advancement of user knowledge which informs nursing practice.

Using Technology-Enhanced, Cooperative, Group-Project Learning for Student Comprehension and Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tlhoaele, Malefyane; Suhre, Cor; Hofman, Adriaan

2016-01-01

Cooperative learning may improve students' motivation, understanding of course concepts, and academic performance. This study therefore enhanced a cooperative, group-project learning technique with technology resources to determine whether doing so improved students' deep learning and performance. A sample of 118 engineering students, randomly…

Performance of Cooperative Learning Groups in a Postgraduate Education Research Methodology Course: The Role of Social Interdependence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Collins, Kathleen M. T.; Jiao, Qun G.

2009-01-01

This study investigated the degree that social interdependence predicted the achievement of 26 cooperative learning groups. Social interdependence was assessed in terms of postgraduate students' individual orientation (that is, cooperative, competitive, and individualistic). Participants were 84 postgraduate students enrolled in an…

77 FR 36292 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-18

... Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Particle Sensor Performance and Durability Notice is... Research Group on Particle Sensor Performance and Durability (``PSPD'') has filed written notifications... the performance and durability of various particle sensor technologies on a diesel engine platform...

77 FR 15395 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-15

... Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in... Research Group on Mechanical Stratigraphy and Natural Deformation in Eagle Ford Formation and Equivalent... Eagle Ford's planned activity is to understand mechanical stratigraphy and natural deformation in Eagle...

Revisiting "The evolution of reciprocity in sizable groups": continuous reciprocity in the repeated n-person prisoner's dilemma.

PubMed

Takezawa, Masanori; Price, Michael E

2010-05-21

For many years in evolutionary science, the consensus view has been that while reciprocal altruism can evolve in dyadic interactions, it is unlikely to evolve in sizable groups. This view had been based on studies which have assumed cooperation to be discrete rather than continuous (i.e., individuals can either fully cooperate or else fully defect, but they cannot continuously vary their level of cooperation). In real world cooperation, however, cooperation is often continuous. In this paper, we re-examine the evolution of reciprocity in sizable groups by presenting a model of the n-person prisoner's dilemma that assumes continuous rather than discrete cooperation. This model shows that continuous reciprocity has a dramatically wider basin of attraction than discrete reciprocity, and that this basin's size increases with efficiency of cooperation (marginal per capita return). Further, we find that assortative interaction interacts synergistically with continuous reciprocity to a much greater extent than it does with discrete reciprocity. These results suggest that previous models may have underestimated reciprocity's adaptiveness in groups. However, we also find that the invasion of continuous reciprocators into a population of unconditional defectors becomes realistic only within a narrow parameter space in which the efficiency of cooperation is close to its maximum bound. Therefore our model suggests that continuous reciprocity can evolve in large groups more easily than discrete reciprocity only under unusual circumstances. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overpunishing is not necessary to fix cooperation in voluntary public goods games.

PubMed

Dercole, Fabio; De Carli, Marco; Della Rossa, Fabio; Papadopoulos, Alessandro V

2013-06-07

The fixation of cooperation among unrelated individuals is one of the fundamental problems in biology and social sciences. It is investigated by means of public goods games, the generalization of the prisoner's dilemma to more than two players. In compulsory public goods games, defect is the dominant strategy, while voluntary participation overcomes the social dilemma by allowing a cyclic coexistence of cooperators, defectors, and non-participants. Experimental and theoretical research has shown how the combination of voluntary participation and altruistic punishment-punishing antisocial behaviors at a personal cost-provides a solution to the problem, as long as antisocial punishment-the punishing of cooperators-is not allowed. Altruistic punishment can invade at low participation and pave the way to the fixation of cooperation. Specifically, defectors are overpunished, in the sense that their payoff is reduced by a sanction proportional to the number of punishers in the game. Here we show that qualitatively equivalent results can be achieved with a milder punishing mechanism, where defectors only risk a fixed penalty per round-as in many real situations-and the cost of punishment is shared among the punishers. The payoffs for the four strategies-cooperate, defect, abstain, and cooperate-&-punish-are derived and the corresponding replicator dynamics analyzed in full detail. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Money and trust among strangers

PubMed Central

Camera, Gabriele; Casari, Marco; Bigoni, Maria

2013-01-01

What makes money essential for the functioning of modern society? Through an experiment, we present evidence for the existence of a relevant behavioral dimension in addition to the standard theoretical arguments. Subjects faced repeated opportunities to help an anonymous counterpart who changed over time. Cooperation required trusting that help given to a stranger today would be returned by a stranger in the future. Cooperation levels declined when going from small to large groups of strangers, even if monitoring and payoffs from cooperation were invariant to group size. We then introduced intrinsically worthless tokens. Tokens endogenously became money: subjects took to reward help with a token and to demand a token in exchange for help. Subjects trusted that strangers would return help for a token. Cooperation levels remained stable as the groups grew larger. In all conditions, full cooperation was possible through a social norm of decentralized enforcement, without using tokens. This turned out to be especially demanding in large groups. Lack of trust among strangers thus made money behaviorally essential. To explain these results, we developed an evolutionary model. When behavior in society is heterogeneous, cooperation collapses without tokens. In contrast, the use of tokens makes cooperation evolutionarily stable. PMID:23980139

Binding cooperativity between a ligand carbonyl group and a hydrophobic side chain can be enhanced by additional H-bonds in a distance dependent manner: A case study with thrombin inhibitors.

PubMed

Said, Ahmed M; Hangauer, David G

2015-01-01

One of the underappreciated non-covalent binding factors, which can significantly affect ligand-protein binding affinity, is the cooperativity between ligand functional groups. Using four different series of thrombin inhibitors, we reveal a strong positive cooperativity between an H-bond accepting carbonyl functionality and the adjacent P3 hydrophobic side chain. Adding an H-bond donating amine adjacent to the P3 hydrophobic side chain further increases this positive cooperativity thereby improving the Ki by as much as 546-fold. In contrast, adding an amidine multiple H-bond/salt bridge group in the distal S1 pocket does not affect this cooperativity. An analysis of the crystallographic B-factors of the ligand groups inside the binding site indicates that the strong cooperativity is mainly due to a significant mutual reduction in the residual mobility of the hydrophobic side chain and the H-bonding functionalities that is absent when the separation distance is large. This type of cooperativity is important to encode in binding affinity prediction software, and to consider in SAR studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Money and trust among strangers.

PubMed

Camera, Gabriele; Casari, Marco; Bigoni, Maria

2013-09-10

What makes money essential for the functioning of modern society? Through an experiment, we present evidence for the existence of a relevant behavioral dimension in addition to the standard theoretical arguments. Subjects faced repeated opportunities to help an anonymous counterpart who changed over time. Cooperation required trusting that help given to a stranger today would be returned by a stranger in the future. Cooperation levels declined when going from small to large groups of strangers, even if monitoring and payoffs from cooperation were invariant to group size. We then introduced intrinsically worthless tokens. Tokens endogenously became money: subjects took to reward help with a token and to demand a token in exchange for help. Subjects trusted that strangers would return help for a token. Cooperation levels remained stable as the groups grew larger. In all conditions, full cooperation was possible through a social norm of decentralized enforcement, without using tokens. This turned out to be especially demanding in large groups. Lack of trust among strangers thus made money behaviorally essential. To explain these results, we developed an evolutionary model. When behavior in society is heterogeneous, cooperation collapses without tokens. In contrast, the use of tokens makes cooperation evolutionarily stable.

Cooperation of German Airports in Europe: Comparison of Different Types by Means of an Interdependence-Profile-Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meincke, Peter A.

2003-01-01

The limited growth possibilities in the home markets - not the least of which, based on capacity and expansion problems - force the large airport operators to enter into, via partnerships, cooperations and alliances. The German airports already cooperate among one another in different forms. The purpose of the paper is to examine the structures and possibilities of cooperation among airports in Europe (e.g. Airport Systems, Airport Networks). The experience of German airports with different cooperations and alliances will be also considered. Finally the forms of cooperations among airports are analysed by means of interdependence-profile-models with different features (mutual dependence, coordination volume, complexity, cooperation profit, value, degree of formalization and temporal frame), in order to find out how high the cooperative attachment of cooperation is to be evaluated.

Population dynamics of obligate cooperators

PubMed Central

Courchamp, F.; Grenfell, B.; Clutton-Brock, T.

1999-01-01

Obligate cooperative breeding species demonstrate a high rate of group extinction, which may be due to the existence of a critical number of helpers below which the group cannot subsist. Through a simple model, we study the population dynamics of obligate cooperative breeding species, taking into account the existence of a lower threshold below which the instantaneous growth rate becomes negative. The model successively incorporates (i) a distinction between species that need helpers for reproduction, survival or both, (ii) the existence of a migration rate accounting for dispersal, and (iii) stochastic mortality to simulate the effects of random catastrophic events. Our results suggest that the need for a minimum number of helpers increases the risk of extinction for obligate cooperative breeding species. The constraint imposed by this threshold is higher when helpers are needed for reproduction only or for both reproduction and survival. By driving them below this lower threshold, stochastic mortality of lower amplitude and/or lower frequency than for non-cooperative breeders may be sufficient to cause the extinction of obligate cooperative breeding groups. Migration may have a buffering effect only for groups where immigration is higher than emigration; otherwise (when immigrants from nearby groups are not available) it lowers the difference between actual group size and critical threshold, thereby constituting a higher constraint.

Increased cooperative behavior across remitted bipolar I disorder and major depression: Insights utilizing a behavioral economic trust game.

PubMed

Ong, Desmond C; Zaki, Jamil; Gruber, June

2017-01-01

Mood disorders impact social functioning, but might contribute to experiences-like affective distress-that might result in increased cooperative behavior under certain circumstances. We recruited participants with a history of bipolar I disorder (n = 28), major depressive disorder (n = 30), and healthy controls (n = 27)-to play a well-validated behavioral economic Trust Game, a task that provides a well-controlled experimental scenario, to measure cooperative behavior for the first time across both groups. Both remitted mood-disordered groups cooperated significantly more than the control group, but did not differ from one another. These results suggest that, in some contexts, a history of mood disturbance can produce enhanced cooperation, even in the absence of current mood symptoms. We discuss the clinical significance of enhanced cooperation in mood disorders and point to key directions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Funding oncology clinical trials: are cooperative group trials sustainable?

PubMed

Seow, Hsien-Yeang; Whelan, Patrick; Levine, Mark N; Cowan, Kathryn; Lysakowski, Barbara; Kowaleski, Brenda; Snider, Anne; Xu, Rebecca Y; Arnold, Andrew

2012-05-01

Many oncology clinical trials departments (CTDs) are in serious fiscal deficit and their sustainability is in jeopardy. This study investigates whether the payment models used to fund industry versus cooperative group trials contribute to the fiscal deficit of a CTD. We examined the lifetime costs of all cooperative group and industry trials activated in the CTD of a cancer center between 2007 and 2011. A trial's lifetime is defined as being from the date the first patient was accrued until the last patient's actual or projected final follow-up visit. For each trial, we calculated the lifetime monthly net income, which was defined as monthly revenue minus monthly costs. Data sources included study protocols, trial budgets, and accrual data. Of the 97 trials analyzed, 64 (66%) were cooperative group trials. The pattern of lifetime net income for cooperative group trials has a positive peak during patient accrual followed by a negative trough during follow-up. In contrast, the pattern for industry trials resembled an "l" shape. The patterns reflect the differing payment models: upfront lump-sum payments (cooperative group) versus milestone payments (industry). The negative trough in the lifetime net income of a cooperative group trial occurs because follow-up costs are typically not funded or are underfunded. CTDs accrue more patients in new trials to offset that deficit. The CTD uses revenue from accrual to existing trials to cross-subsidize past trials in follow-up. As the number of patients on follow-up increases, the fiscal deficit grows larger each year, perpetuating the cycle.

Using Cooperative Small Groups in Introductory Accounting Classes: A Practical Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miglietti, Cynthia

2002-01-01

Effective use of cooperative learning groups requires the following: attention to group formation, orientation that sets clear expectations and guidelines, activities to develop teamwork skills, peer evaluation, and other assessments that recognize and measure individual effort on group projects. (SK)

Permanent Base Groups in Broadcast Journalism Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boldoc, William J.

An instructor increases student performance, participation, and motivation in broadcast journalism and other media courses through the base group cooperative learning model. Base groups are a specific form of cooperative learning which enables students to become actively involved in small-group discussions and learning with a permanent group of…

Water availability and quality in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: implications for public health.

PubMed

Sherif, Mohsen

2010-07-01

Environmental problems and their potential impacts on public health vary in scale and time depending on the level and nature of pollutants. Although water is regarded as the source of all kinds of life on earth, it also acts as an efficient carrier of pollutants. Contamination of drinking water, agricultural water, or recreational water by infectious pathogens, chemical pollutants, or others can have significant impacts on public health. During the past few decades, waterborne diseases continued to spread and the health risks continued to increase. The correlation between water resources and public health is more evident in arid regions. This article discusses the availability of water resources in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and elaborates on the possible impacts of water resources on public health. It emphasizes the importance of preservation of water quality and prevention of waterborne diseases, which could be achieved through a coordinated effort from diverse groups and disciplines.

Proceedings of The Invitational Conference on Testing Problems (24th, New York, New York, October 29, 1960).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ.

This conference focused on two themes: research in testing and the cooperative research program, and testing in the language arts. The morning session was concerned with the impact of the federal Cooperative Research Program on educational research. Papers were entitled: The Support of Measurement Projects by the Cooperative Research Program.…

[A questionnaire survey of medical cooperation by the Iwaki Medical Association].

PubMed

Midorikawa, Yasuhiko

2013-12-01

It has been pointed out that currently, Iwaki City faces an insufficiency of doctors working at hospitals, compared with before. Such an insufficiency became more remarkable after the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Fukushima Nuclear Disaster, as about 30,000 people relocated to Iwaki City from the evacuation areas. In this regard, the Iwaki Medical Association conducted a questionnaire survey to investigate the problems of medical cooperation and utilize the data to improve medical cooperation within hospitals and clinics. A total of 159 doctors answered the questionnaires: 64% were community physicians, 36% were doctors working at hospitals, and 42% were physicians. About 60% of the doctors were satisfied with the present medical cooperation. Home health care was performed by 25% of the doctors working at hospitals and 45% of the community physicians. Approximately 80% of the doctors felt the need for additional physicians to perform home health care, although more than half of the doctors answered that they do not perform it. Various problems exist in the context of medical cooperation, but many doctors still hope for its improvement, according to the answers in the questionnaires. Efforts have to be exerted further in order to enhance medical cooperation among the health care team.

Potential for the development of a marketing option for the specialty local Ban pork of a Thai ethnic smallholder cooperative group in Northwest Vietnam.

PubMed

Le, Thi Thanh Huyen; Muth, Philipp C; Markemann, André; Schöll, Kerstin; Zárate, Anne Valle

2016-02-01

Based on 12 years of research (SFB 564 "The Uplands Program"), a community-based breeding and marketing cooperative group was transferred to an ethnic farmer group. This study analyses the potential for developing a marketing channel for specialty local Ban pork as an alternative to supplying the local markets to ensure long-term sustainability of the communal local pig breeding and production system. Data on pig-keeping were investigated from 378 farmers who wanted to enroll in the cooperative group in 10 villages (near town, intermediate, and remote zones) in Son La province. The data on Ban pig marketing activities of the cooperative group were investigated for all of its 180 members. Information on the market demand for Ban pigs were collected by interviewing 57 traders in Hanoi city and Son La province. The results show a dominance of local Ban in remote areas, and a preference for crossbreds with exotics in closer-to-town areas. Before farmers joined the cooperative group, the commercialization of pigs in remote villages accounted for only 3.0 pigs/farm/year compared to 9.3 pigs/farm/year in the intermediate zone and 11.2 pigs/farm/year near town. Potential markets have been identified for each product category of the cooperative group. Pure Ban pigs with a weight of 10-15 kg were preferred most by customers in Hanoi city. The regular feedback of information on niche markets for different products has increased the awareness of farmers about the competitiveness of the local pig products, and the power of collective action in the market. Selected pure Ban pigs were increasingly sold to food stores in Hanoi with high prices. Farmers received an average of 9000 VND more compared to the local market price for each kg of live weight. The respective added value for the cooperative group amounted to 11,300 VND/kg live weight. The added value from selling specialty Ban pigs regularly to markets, encouraged farmers toward a market in local pig production and participation in the cooperative group. For the long-term development of the cooperative group, trademark registration is envisaged, along with strict quality control to help protect the brand of the product.

Consensual punishment does not promote cooperation in the six-person prisoner's dilemma game with noisy public monitoring

PubMed Central

van Miltenburg, Nynke; Buskens, Vincent

2017-01-01

We study the effects of different punishment institutions on cooperation in a six-person prisoner’s dilemma game in which actors observe others’ cooperation with some noise (i.e. imperfect public monitoring). Previous research has shown that peer punishment can sustain cooperation, if a certain proportion of group members punish defectors at a cost to themselves. However, in the presence of noise, co-operators will sometimes be mistaken for defectors and punished, and defectors will sometimes be mistaken for co-operators and escape punishment. Both types of mistakes are detrimental for cooperation because cooperation is discouraged and defection is encouraged. By means of a laboratory experiment, we study whether this adverse effect of noise can be mitigated by consensual punishment. The more other group members have to agree on punishing a defector, the less likely will a co-operator be punished by mistake. We compare a punishment institution in which each subject decides individually whether to punish another, with institutions in which punishments are only implemented if subjects reach sufficient consensus that a particular group member should be punished. In conditions without noise, we find that cooperation and subjects’ payoffs are higher if more consensus is required before a punishment is implemented. In conditions with noise, cooperation is lower if more consensus is required. Moreover, with noise, subjects’ payoffs are lower under all punishment institutions than in the control condition without punishment opportunities. Our results narrow down the conditions under which punishment institutions can promote cooperation if such cooperation is noisy. PMID:29176900

Consensual punishment does not promote cooperation in the six-person prisoner's dilemma game with noisy public monitoring.

PubMed

van Miltenburg, Nynke; Przepiorka, Wojtek; Buskens, Vincent

2017-01-01

We study the effects of different punishment institutions on cooperation in a six-person prisoner's dilemma game in which actors observe others' cooperation with some noise (i.e. imperfect public monitoring). Previous research has shown that peer punishment can sustain cooperation, if a certain proportion of group members punish defectors at a cost to themselves. However, in the presence of noise, co-operators will sometimes be mistaken for defectors and punished, and defectors will sometimes be mistaken for co-operators and escape punishment. Both types of mistakes are detrimental for cooperation because cooperation is discouraged and defection is encouraged. By means of a laboratory experiment, we study whether this adverse effect of noise can be mitigated by consensual punishment. The more other group members have to agree on punishing a defector, the less likely will a co-operator be punished by mistake. We compare a punishment institution in which each subject decides individually whether to punish another, with institutions in which punishments are only implemented if subjects reach sufficient consensus that a particular group member should be punished. In conditions without noise, we find that cooperation and subjects' payoffs are higher if more consensus is required before a punishment is implemented. In conditions with noise, cooperation is lower if more consensus is required. Moreover, with noise, subjects' payoffs are lower under all punishment institutions than in the control condition without punishment opportunities. Our results narrow down the conditions under which punishment institutions can promote cooperation if such cooperation is noisy.

Globalization, international law, and emerging infectious diseases.

PubMed Central

Fidler, D. P.

1996-01-01

The global nature of the threat posed by new and reemerging infectious diseases will require international cooperation in identifying, controlling, and preventing these diseases. Because of this need for international cooperation, international law will certainly play a role in the global strategy for the control of emerging diseases. Recognizing this fact, the World Health Organization has already proposed revising the International Health Regulations. This article examines some basic problems that the global campaign against emerging infectious diseases might face in applying international law to facilitate international cooperation. The international legal component of the global control strategy for these diseases needs careful attention because of problems inherent in international law, especially as it applies to emerging infections issues. PMID:8903206

78 FR 30848 - Inviting Applications for Rural Cooperative Development Grants

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-23

... track record of: a. Positive solutions for complex cooperative development and/or marketing problems; or... toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay...

Underbanked: Cooperative Banking as a Potential Solution to the Marijuana-Banking Problem.

PubMed

Tighe, Patrick A

2016-01-01

Numerous states have recently legalized recreational marijuana, which has created a burgeoning marijuana industry needing and demanding access to a variety of banking and financial services. Due, however, to the interplay between the federal criminalization of marijuana and federal anti-money laundering laws, U.S. financial institutions cannot handle legally the proceeds from marijuana activity. As a result, most financial institutions are unwilling to flout federal anti-money laundering laws, and so too few marijuana-related businesses can access banking services. This Note argues that the most viable policy option for resolving this "underbanking" problem is a financial cooperative approach such as a cannabis-only financial cooperative. Even in light of federal anti-money laundering laws, this Note contends that the Federal Reserve is legally authorized to grant some cannabis-only financial cooperatives access to its payment system services under the Monetary Control Act of 1980.

[Spanish international cooperation in health].

PubMed

Mazarrasa-Alvear, Lucía; Montero-Corominas, María José

2004-05-01

In this chapter, there is a view of the relationships between the Spanish policy for international cooperation aid and the main health problems of the developing world, with a gender perspective. The population health is a result of the development inequity between rich and poor countries. The international institutions have established the frame and priorities of the cooperation aid, being poverty eradication the main priority. The compromise of the Millennium Conference was to reduce in 2/3 child mortality and 3/4 maternal mortality before year 2015, to stop and reduce HIV-AIDS, malaria and others serious diseases as tuberculosis and to facilitate developing countries the access to drugs. Although the resources allocated, the total amount for cooperation has been reduced 30% during the last years. The Spanish AOD in health is difficult to account because it is considered among social basic services and it is not addressed to solve the main health problems in the poorest countries.

Explaining Cooperation in Groups: Testing Models of Reciprocity and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biele, Guido; Rieskamp, Jorg; Czienskowski, Uwe

2008-01-01

What are the cognitive processes underlying cooperation in groups? This question is addressed by examining how well a reciprocity model, two learning models, and social value orientation can predict cooperation in two iterated n-person social dilemmas with continuous contributions. In the first of these dilemmas, the public goods game,…

Cooperative Work Groups: Preparing Students for the Real World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandel, Scott M.

This book outlines how educators can design meaningful learning experiences that address standards and utilize cooperative learning, brain research, and the Internet to effectively develop a students' ability to thrive in the 21st century workplace. After an introduction that explains cooperative work groups, there are 13 chapters in four parts.…

Cooperative Language Learning: Increasing Opportunities for Learning in Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wichadee, Saovapa; Orawiwatnakul, Wiwat

2012-01-01

This paper conceptualizes cooperative language learning, group instruction which is under the learner-centered approach where the groups are formed in such a way that each member performs his or her task to achieve the goal. Previous research indicates that cooperative language learning doesn't only improve learners' language skills, but also…

76 FR 63659 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993; Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-13

... Production Act of 1993; Cooperative Research Group on Pre-Ignition Prevention Program Notice is hereby given... Research Group on Pre-Ignition Prevention Programs (``P3'') has filed written notifications simultaneously... planned activity is to develop a fundamental understanding of the factors that lead to low speed pre...

Effects of Representative Status and Decision Style on Cooperation in the Prisoner's Dilemma.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hermann, Margaret G.; Kogan, Nathan

Level of cooperation in the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) is examined for opponents acting in their own behalf or as members of a reference group consisting of strangers or friends. This subject classification interacted with trials, representatives of friend groups manifesting a consistently high level of cooperation throughout, and representatives of…

The pKa Cooperative: A Collaborative Effort to Advance Structure-Based Calculations of pKa values and Electrostatic Effects in Proteins

PubMed Central

Nielsen, Jens E.; Gunner, M. R.; Bertrand García-Moreno, E.

2012-01-01

The pKa Cooperative http://www.pkacoop.org was organized to advance development of accurate and useful computational methods for structure-based calculation of pKa values and electrostatic energy in proteins. The Cooperative brings together laboratories with expertise and interest in theoretical, computational and experimental studies of protein electrostatics. To improve structure-based energy calculations it is necessary to better understand the physical character and molecular determinants of electrostatic effects. The Cooperative thus intends to foment experimental research into fundamental aspects of proteins that depend on electrostatic interactions. It will maintain a depository for experimental data useful for critical assessment of methods for structure-based electrostatics calculations. To help guide the development of computational methods the Cooperative will organize blind prediction exercises. As a first step, computational laboratories were invited to reproduce an unpublished set of experimental pKa values of acidic and basic residues introduced in the interior of staphylococcal nuclease by site-directed mutagenesis. The pKa values of these groups are unique and challenging to simulate owing to the large magnitude of their shifts relative to normal pKa values in water. Many computational methods were tested in this 1st Blind Prediction Challenge and critical assessment exercise. A workshop was organized in the Telluride Science Research Center to assess objectively the performance of many computational methods tested on this one extensive dataset. This volume of PROTEINS: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics introduces the pKa Cooperative, presents reports submitted by participants in the blind prediction challenge, and highlights some of the problems in structure-based calculations identified during this exercise. PMID:22002877

Hidden profiles and concealed information: strategic information sharing and use in group decision making.

PubMed

Toma, Claudia; Butera, Fabrizio

2009-06-01

Two experiments investigated the differential impact of cooperation and competition on strategic information sharing and use in a three-person group decision-making task. Information was distributed in order to create a hidden profile so that disconfirmation of group members' initial preferences was required to solve the task. Experiment 1 revealed that competition, compared to cooperation, led group members to withhold unshared information, a difference that was not significant for shared information. In competition, compared to cooperation, group members were also more reluctant to disconfirm their initial preferences. Decision quality was lower in competition than in cooperation, this effect being mediated by disconfirmation use and not by information sharing. Experiment 2 replicated these findings and revealed the role of mistrust in predicting strategic information sharing and use in competition. These results support a motivated information processing approach of group decision making.

QuEST: Qualifying Environmentally Sustainable Technologies. Vol. 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Pattie (Editor)

2008-01-01

This is an exciting new chapter for the NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation Principal Center (TEERM). The Principal Center's past successes have created new opportunities for partnership and technology implementation. TEERM is continuing to support the current NASA Programs while reaching out and offering our assistance and experience to Constellation. NASA has also assumed Chairmanship responsibility of the Joint Group on Pollution Prevention (JG-PP) and Chairmanship of the JG-PP Working Group (WG). Both JG-PP and TEERM strive to improve mission readiness and reduce risk to personnel and assets by solving joint problems through cooperation. JG-PP and TEERM not only show our commitment to environmental stewardship, but also our commitment to fiscal responsibility.

Employee assistance programs.

PubMed

Austin, R L

1987-10-01

The substance abuser brings his problems to the workplace. Ninety-five percent or more of all individuals experiencing alcohol-or drug-related problems are either employed or the spouse or dependent of someone who is working. It is clear we are facing a problem which transcends the boundaries of the workplace. The result in the workplace, of course, is increased costs, lower productivity, more accidents on the job, but most importantly additional suffering for the individuals involved. It is important to remember that neither GM, the UAW, nor the IUE can be expected to accept responsibility for those individuals who have the ability to control their own "wellness" and productivity. Any joint union-management substance abuse program can only be a catalyst to help individuals confront their problems. Along with the other groups and institutions concerned with these problems, GM, in cooperation with the UAW, IUE, and the other unions that represent our employees, is trying to help individuals with addictive diseases confront and obtain treatment for their problems. We believe our programs are moving in the right direction and will continue to make progress.

Worst-Case Cooperative Jamming for Secure Communications in CIoT Networks.

PubMed

Li, Zhen; Jing, Tao; Ma, Liran; Huo, Yan; Qian, Jin

2016-03-07

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a significant branch of the ongoing advances in the Internet and mobile communications. The use of a large number of IoT devices makes the spectrum scarcity problem even more serious. The usable spectrum resources are almost entirely occupied, and thus, the increasing radio access demands of IoT devices cannot be met. To tackle this problem, the Cognitive Internet of Things (CIoT) has been proposed. In a CIoT network, secondary users, i.e., sensors and actuators, can access the licensed spectrum bands provided by licensed primary users (such as telephones). Security is a major concern in CIoT networks. However, the traditional encryption method at upper layers (such as symmetric cryptography and asymmetric cryptography) may be compromised in CIoT networks, since these types of networks are heterogeneous. In this paper, we address the security issue in spectrum-leasing-based CIoT networks using physical layer methods. Considering that the CIoT networks are cooperative networks, we propose to employ cooperative jamming to achieve secrecy transmission. In the cooperative jamming scheme, a certain secondary user is employed as the helper to harvest energy transmitted by the source and then uses the harvested energy to generate an artificial noise that jams the eavesdropper without interfering with the legitimate receivers. The goal is to minimize the signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) at the eavesdropper subject to the quality of service (QoS) constraints of the primary traffic and the secondary traffic. We formulate the considered minimization problem into a two-stage robust optimization problem based on the worst-case Channel State Information of the Eavesdropper. By using semi-definite programming (SDP), the optimal solutions of the transmit covariance matrices can be obtained. Moreover, in order to build an incentive mechanism for the secondary users, we propose an auction framework based on the cooperative jamming scheme. The proposed auction framework jointly formulates the helper selection and the corresponding energy allocation problems under the constraint of the eavesdropper's SINR. By adopting the Vickrey auction, truthfulness and individual rationality can be guaranteed. Simulation results demonstrate the good performance of the cooperative jamming scheme and the auction framework.

Buffer management to solve bed-blocking in the Netherlands 2000–2010. Cooperation from an integrated care chain perspective as a key success factor for managing patient flows

PubMed Central

Mur-Veeman, Ingrid; Govers, Mark

2011-01-01

Introduction Bed-blocking problems in hospitals reflect how difficult and complex it is to move patients smoothly through the chain of care. In the Netherlands, during the first decade of the 21st century, some hospitals attempted to tackle this problem by using an Intermediate Care Department (ICD) as a buffer for bed-blockers. However, research has shown that ICDs do not sufficiently solve the bed-blocking problem and that bed-blocking is often caused by a lack of buffer management. Tool Buffer management (BM) is a tool that endeavors to balance patient flow in the hospital to nursing home chain of care. Results Additional research has indicated that the absence of BM is not the result of providers’ thinking that BM is unnecessary, unethical or impossible because of unpredictable patient flows. Instead, BM is hampered by a lack of cooperation between care providers. Conclusion Although stakeholders recognize that cooperation is imperative, they often fail to take the actions necessary to realize cooperation. Our assumption is that this lack of willingness and ability to cooperate is the result of several impeding conditions as well as stakeholders’ perceptions of these conditions and the persistence of their current routines, principles and beliefs (RPBs). Discussion We recommend simultaneously working on improving the conditions and changing stakeholders’ perceptions and RPBs. PMID:21954373

Cooperative Scheduling of Imaging Observation Tasks for High-Altitude Airships Based on Propagation Algorithm

PubMed Central

Chuan, He; Dishan, Qiu; Jin, Liu

2012-01-01

The cooperative scheduling problem on high-altitude airships for imaging observation tasks is discussed. A constraint programming model is established by analyzing the main constraints, which takes the maximum task benefit and the minimum cruising distance as two optimization objectives. The cooperative scheduling problem of high-altitude airships is converted into a main problem and a subproblem by adopting hierarchy architecture. The solution to the main problem can construct the preliminary matching between tasks and observation resource in order to reduce the search space of the original problem. Furthermore, the solution to the sub-problem can detect the key nodes that each airship needs to fly through in sequence, so as to get the cruising path. Firstly, the task set is divided by using k-core neighborhood growth cluster algorithm (K-NGCA). Then, a novel swarm intelligence algorithm named propagation algorithm (PA) is combined with the key node search algorithm (KNSA) to optimize the cruising path of each airship and determine the execution time interval of each task. Meanwhile, this paper also provides the realization approach of the above algorithm and especially makes a detailed introduction on the encoding rules, search models, and propagation mechanism of the PA. Finally, the application results and comparison analysis show the proposed models and algorithms are effective and feasible. PMID:23365522

Successful Group Work: Using Cooperative Learning and Team-Based Learning in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant-Vallone, E. J.

2011-01-01

This research study examined student perceptions of group experiences in the classroom. The author used cooperative learning and team-based learning to focus on three characteristics that are critical for the success of groups: structure of activities, relationships of group members, and accountability of group members. Results indicated that…

A generalized public goods game with coupling of individual ability and project benefit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Li-Xin; Xu, Wen-Juan; He, Yun-Xin; Zhong, Chen-Yang; Chen, Rong-Da; Qiu, Tian; Shi, Yong-Dong; Ren, Fei

2017-08-01

Facing a heavy task, any single person can only make a limited contribution and team cooperation is needed. As one enjoys the benefit of the public goods, the potential benefits of the project are not always maximized and may be partly wasted. By incorporating individual ability and project benefit into the original public goods game, we study the coupling effect of the four parameters, the upper limit of individual contribution, the upper limit of individual benefit, the needed project cost and the upper limit of project benefit on the evolution of cooperation. Coevolving with the individual-level group size preferences, an increase in the upper limit of individual benefit promotes cooperation while an increase in the upper limit of individual contribution inhibits cooperation. The coupling of the upper limit of individual contribution and the needed project cost determines the critical point of the upper limit of project benefit, where the equilibrium frequency of cooperators reaches its highest level. Above the critical point, an increase in the upper limit of project benefit inhibits cooperation. The evolution of cooperation is closely related to the preferred group-size distribution. A functional relation between the frequency of cooperators and the dominant group size is found.

Cooperative Learning and Second-Language Teaching: Frequently-Asked Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, George M.; Gilbert, Charles C.; Lopriore, Lucilla; Goldstein, Sue; Thiyagarajali, Rosy

1998-01-01

Summarizes a discussion about cooperative learning in second-language teaching by 45 teachers, highlighting six issues: how to cover the syllabus, how long cooperative groups should stay together, how cooperative learning is affected by competition in society, using cooperative learning with low language proficiency students, using cooperative…

The cultural evolution of emergent group-level traits.

PubMed

Smaldino, Paul E

2014-06-01

Many of the most important properties of human groups - including properties that may give one group an evolutionary advantage over another - are properly defined only at the level of group organization. Yet at present, most work on the evolution of culture has focused solely on the transmission of individual-level traits. I propose a conceptual extension of the theory of cultural evolution, particularly related to the evolutionary competition between cultural groups. The key concept in this extension is the emergent group-level trait. This type of trait is characterized by the structured organization of differentiated individuals and constitutes a unit of selection that is qualitatively different from selection on groups as defined by traditional multilevel selection (MLS) theory. As a corollary, I argue that the traditional focus on cooperation as the defining feature of human societies has missed an essential feature of cooperative groups. Traditional models of cooperation assume that interacting with one cooperator is equivalent to interacting with any other. However, human groups involve differential roles, meaning that receiving aid from one individual is often preferred to receiving aid from another. In this target article, I discuss the emergence and evolution of group-level traits and the implications for the theory of cultural evolution, including ramifications for the evolution of human cooperation, technology, and cultural institutions, and for the equivalency of multilevel selection and inclusive fitness approaches.

Overview of Thoracic Oncology Trials in Cooperative Groups Around the Globe

PubMed Central

Salahudeen, Ameen Abdulla; Patel, Manali I.; Baas, Paul; Curran, Walter J.; Bradley, Jeffrey D.; Gandara, David R.; Goss, Glenwood D.; Mok, Tony S.; Ramalingam, Suresh S.; Vokes, Everett E.; Malik, Shakun M.; Wakelee, Heather A.

2017-01-01

Survival rates of patients with either early and advanced stage non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have improved with newer systemic therapy and radiation techniques, including combination regimens, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies. The cancer cooperative groups have historically played a critical role in the advancement of NSCLC therapy. Annually, representatives from cooperative groups worldwide convene at the International Lung Cancer Congress (ILCC). In summer 2015, the ILCC reached its 16th anniversary. This article highlights the NSCLC studies presented by participating groups in 2015. PMID:27473736

7 CFR 4284.513 - Evaluation criteria and weights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... organizations receiving the assistance, and the transferability of the Center's cooperative development strategy... record of positive solutions for complex Cooperative development or marketing problems, or a successful record of conducting accurate feasibility studies, business plans, marketing analysis, or other...

A Global Imperative for the Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strong, Maurice F.

1974-01-01

Population, depleted resources, pollution and other environmental issues are reviewed from an international perspective. The imperative nature of world-wide cooperation is emphasized for dealing effectively with ecological problems. Directions in which this cooperation should be effected are presented. (JP)

Cooperative airframe/propulsion control for supersonic cruise aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schweikhard, W. G.; Berry, D. T.

1974-01-01

Interactions between propulsion systems and flight controls have emerged as a major control problem on supersonic cruise aircraft. This paper describes the nature and causes of these interactions and the approaches to predicting and solving the problem. Integration of propulsion and flight control systems appears to be the most promising solution if the interaction effects can be adequately predicted early in the vehicle design. Significant performance, stability, and control improvements may be realized from a cooperative control system.

The Cooperative Form, the Value and the Allocation of Joint Costs and Benefits

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-15

all play a role yet they are ex- tremely difficult to formalize. The existence of a vast body of law complete with intricate docu- ments such as the...externality problems involve a finite set of profit centers whose activities influence each other. When interests are either independent (no...else to whom they submit their reports. In general the cooperative form is not adequate to study problems of auditing, en - forcement and agency

New roads toward North-South cooperation.

PubMed

Terpstra, E G

1989-12-01

A Netherlands Parliament member gives a European Perspective on population and development, problems in urban development, and methods of cooperation between industrialized and developing countries. On population and development, the relationship between population explosion and poverty, underdevelopment, environment, social infrastructure, and food shortages is pointed out. Most population growth in the years ahead will be in developing countries. Rampant population growth and burgeoning poverty strain the world's carrying capacity and environment, both in industrial and developing countries. Development policy and cooperation will fail in the absence of efforts to stem population growth. On this front, religious and political leaders have groundbreaking cooperative steps in supporting international family planning efforts through the global forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival. Economic development, environment, and population issues are inexorably tied together. The numerous problems faced by uncontrolled Third World urbanization are discussed with potential solutions for change. Incorporating women in the development process is strongly encouraged. The interdependent North-South relationship is discussed. All nations, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and women must cooperate to find solutions and effect positive change on a case-by-case basis.

Chemically Enhanced Trust: Potential Law Enforcement and Military Applications for Oxytocin

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

Breaking Cooperative Relationships, ed. Diego Gambetta, 213-237. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1988, 218. 17 Niklas Luhmann. “Familiarity, Confidence, Trust...Problems and Alternatives.” In Trust: Making and Breaking Cooperative Relationships, ed. Diego Gambetta, 94-107. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1988, 95...Relationships, ed. Diego Gambetta, 94-107. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1988, 166. 171 Karen S. Cook, Russell Hardin and Margaret Levi. Cooperation Without

An empirical evaluation of graphical interfaces to support flight planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Philip J.; Mccoy, Elaine; Layton, Chuck; Bihari, Tom

1995-01-01

Whether optimization techniques or expert systems technologies are used, the underlying inference processes and the model or knowledge base for a computerized problem-solving system are likely to be incomplete for any given complex, real-world task. To deal with the resultant brittleness, it has been suggested that 'cooperative' rather than 'automated' problem-solving systems be designed. Such cooperative systems are proposed to explicitly enhance the collaboration of people and the computer system when working in partnership to solve problems. This study evaluates the impact of alternative design concepts on the performance of airline pilots interacting with such a cooperative system designed to support enroute flight planning. Thirty pilots were studied using three different versions of the system. The results clearly demonstrate that different system design concepts can strongly influence the cognitive processes of users. Indeed, one of the designs studied caused four times as many pilots to accept a poor flight amendment. Based on think-aloud protocols, cognitive models are proposed to account for how features of the computer system interacted with specific types of scenarios to influence exploration and decision-making by the pilots. The results are then used to develop recommendations for guiding the design of cooperative systems.

Organizational choices for international cooperation: East-West European cooperation on regional environmental problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, Barbara Mary

This dissertation applies theoretical insights from transaction cost economics to explain and predict the organizational form of cooperative agreements between Eastern and Western Europe in areas of regional environmental and political concern. It examines five contracting problems related to nuclear power safety and acid rain, and describes the history of international negotiations to manage these problems. It argues that the level of interdependence in a given issue area, or costly effects experienced in one state due to activities and decisions of other states, along with the level of transactional vulnerability, or sunk costs invested in support of a particular contractual relationship among these states, are key determinants of the governance structures states choose to facilitate cooperation in that issue area. Empirically, the dissertation traces the evolution of three sets of institutional arrangements related to nuclear safety: governance for western nuclear safety assistance to Eastern Europe, negotiations of a global convention on safety standards for nuclear power plants, and contracts among utilities and multilateral banks to build new nuclear power plants in Eastern Europe. Next it studies European acid rain, chronicling the history of international acid rain controls within the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) and the European Union, and finally examining institutional arrangements for burden-sharing to promote European bargains on emissions reduction, including bilateral aid transfers and proposals for multilateral burden sharing. Political actors have a wide range of choice among institutional arrangements to facilitate international cooperation, from simple market-type exchanges, to arbitration-type regimes that provide information and enhance reputation effects, to self-enforcing agreements such as issue-linkage, to supranational governance. The governance structures states devise to manage their cooperative relations affects outcomes of cooperation, by influencing the bargains states make and how well those bargains stick. This research shows that patterns of interdependence and sunk costs in cooperative relationships with particular states strongly condition the choices states make between these institutional structures to facilitate mutually beneficial international cooperation while protecting against opportunism.

[Health care cooperatives. The role and contributions of this movement in the protection and improvement of the national health status from 1921 to 1949].

PubMed

Jeremić, V; Nikolić, A

2000-01-01

After the First World War in the devastated and destroyed country, besides hard economic problems, also many social and sanitary problems required appropriate solutions. Loss of a great number of physicians and other sanitary personnel during the war was badly reflected on health care of the population, especially in rural areas. In these conditions and on suggestions made by a young physician, dr. Gavrilo Kojitsh (Gavrilo Kojić), many health cooperatives were established. Funds were secured by membership fees payed by the members to the so-called patients' funds. These financial resources were intended for covering of expenses in case of illness or death of a cooperative member or a member of his family. Monthly payment depended on the number of family members and degree of health insurance. A cooperative was composed of 300-500 families. The first health cooperatives were established in 1921 and up to 1939 there were 87 cooperatives with 97 physicians and 71 pharmacists. The price of a doctor's consultation was 3-4 times smaller than that in a private doctor's office, and prices of medications and drugs were reduced. In addition to curative treatment, the outpatient service of these cooperatives included maternal and infant care centres with visiting nursing service, sections for fight against infectious disease (vaccination), especially tuberculosis, education, rebuilding of villages, better water-supply, etc. In 1949 these health cooperatives were integrated into the new system of public health services.

Lo que los educadores necesitan saber sobre...El agrupamiento por habilidad [y] La compactacion del curriculum [y] Los alumnos dotados y el aprendizaje cooperativo [y] La actividad tutoral. Guias practica (What Educators Need To Know about...Ability Grouping [and] Curriculum Compacting [and] Gifted Students and Cooperative Learning [and] Mentoring. Practitioners' Guides).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegle, Del, Ed.

These four pamphlets in Spanish offer guidelines supported by theory-driven quality research that is problem-based, practice-relevant, and consumer-oriented. Each pamphlet has a section summarizing research from the literature or topic notes as well as implications for the classroom. The first guide offers principles for teachers concerning the…

Oxytocin motivates non-cooperation in intergroup conflict to protect vulnerable in-group members.

PubMed

De Dreu, Carsten K W; Shalvi, Shaul; Greer, Lindred L; Van Kleef, Gerben A; Handgraaf, Michel J J

2012-01-01

Intergroup conflict is often driven by an individual's motivation to protect oneself and fellow group members against the threat of out-group aggression, including the tendency to pre-empt out-group threat through a competitive approach. Here we link such defense-motivated competition to oxytocin, a hypothalamic neuropeptide involved in reproduction and social bonding. An intergroup conflict game was developed to disentangle whether oxytocin motivates competitive approach to protect (i) immediate self-interest, (ii) vulnerable in-group members, or (iii) both. Males self-administered oxytocin or placebo (double-blind placebo-controlled) and made decisions with financial consequences to themselves, their fellow in-group members, and a competing out-group. Game payoffs were manipulated between-subjects so that non-cooperation by the out-group had high vs. low impact on personal payoff (personal vulnerability), and high vs. low impact on payoff to fellow in-group members (in-group vulnerability). When personal vulnerability was high, non-cooperation was unaffected by treatment and in-group vulnerability. When personal vulnerability was low, however, in-group vulnerability motivated non-cooperation but only when males received oxytocin. Oxytocin fuels a defense-motivated competitive approach to protect vulnerable group members, even when personal fate is not at stake.

Social Networks-Based Adaptive Pairing Strategy for Cooperative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chuang, Po-Jen; Chiang, Ming-Chao; Yang, Chu-Sing; Tsai, Chun-Wei

2012-01-01

In this paper, we propose a grouping strategy to enhance the learning and testing results of students, called Pairing Strategy (PS). The proposed method stems from the need of interactivity and the desire of cooperation in cooperative learning. Based on the social networks of students, PS provides members of the groups to learn from or mimic…

Stakeholders' Cooperation in the Study Programme Quality Assurance: Theory and Practice in Lithuania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pileicikiene, Nora

2011-01-01

The cooperation of various stakeholders' groups is a prerequisite to develop and realise high-quality study programmes, i.e. during studies to develop skills that are relevant to the labour market and social life. In order to achieve effective stakeholders' cooperation, it is necessary to identify stakeholder's groups relevant to a study programme…

[A survey of Local Physicians and Psychotherapists on Cooperation in Regional Networks for Early Child Interventions in Saxony-Anhalt].

PubMed

Clauß, D; Fleischer, S; Mattern, E; Ayerle, G

2016-07-01

Early childhood interventions positively contribute to health related child development. For these interventions, networks are a necessary prerequisite as they promote interdisciplinary and interprofessional cooperation. This holds especially true for the integration of health system protagonists. In a cross-sectional survey local paediatrists, gynaecologists, general practitioners, and psychotherapists were asked about their knowledge, experiences, desires, and reservations regarding cooperation in early childhood intervention networks. 64 out of 1747 (3.7%) eligible clinicians answered the survey. On average they estimated that 10.1% of the families they are treating would benefit from early childhood interventions. Participants rated themselves as competent to offer appropriate early childhood interventions. The youth welfare service was judged as the most important institution for their own professional practice by 84.4%. Additionally to an applicable agenda, a fair group moderation of network meetings was seen as a substantial requirement in order to take part in network meetings. Health professionals are important protagonists in early childhood interventions. Clinicians should assess relevant problems in families and offer appropriate support on a regular basis. Alongside clearly defined regional contacts, interprofessional continuing education seems mandatory. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Sensitivity Analysis of OECD Benchmark Tests in BISON

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swiler, Laura Painton; Gamble, Kyle; Schmidt, Rodney C.

2015-09-01

This report summarizes a NEAMS (Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation) project focused on sensitivity analysis of a fuels performance benchmark problem. The benchmark problem was defined by the Uncertainty Analysis in Modeling working group of the Nuclear Science Committee, part of the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD ). The benchmark problem involv ed steady - state behavior of a fuel pin in a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). The problem was created in the BISON Fuels Performance code. Dakota was used to generate and analyze 300 samples of 17 input parameters defining coremore » boundary conditions, manuf acturing tolerances , and fuel properties. There were 24 responses of interest, including fuel centerline temperatures at a variety of locations and burnup levels, fission gas released, axial elongation of the fuel pin, etc. Pearson and Spearman correlatio n coefficients and Sobol' variance - based indices were used to perform the sensitivity analysis. This report summarizes the process and presents results from this study.« less

Levels of arithmetic reasoning in solving an open-ended problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosyvas, Georgios

2016-04-01

This paper presents the results of an experimental teaching carried out on 12-year-old students. An open-ended task was given to them and they had not been taught the algorithmic process leading to the solution. The formal solution to the problem refers to a system of two linear equations with two unknown quantities. In this mathematical activity, students worked cooperatively. They discussed their discoveries in groups of four and then presented their answers to the whole class developing a rich communication. This study describes the characteristic arguments that represent certain different forms of reasoning that emerged during the process of justifying the solutions of the problem. The findings of this research show that within an environment conducive to creativity, which encourages collaboration, exploration and sharing ideas, students can be engaged in developing multiple mathematical strategies, posing new questions, creating informal proofs, showing beauty and elegance and bringing out that problem solving is a powerful way of learning mathematics.

Multiple UAV Cooperation for Wildfire Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Zhongjie

Wildfires have been a major factor in the development and management of the world's forest. An accurate assessment of wildfire status is imperative for fire management. This thesis is dedicated to the topic of utilizing multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to cooperatively monitor a large-scale wildfire. This is achieved through wildfire spreading situation estimation based on on-line measurements and wise cooperation strategy to ensure efficiency. First, based on the understanding of the physical characteristics of the wildfire propagation behavior, a wildfire model and a Kalman filter-based method are proposed to estimate the wildfire rate of spread and the fire front contour profile. With the enormous on-line measurements from on-board sensors of UAVs, the proposed method allows a wildfire monitoring mission to benefit from on-line information updating, increased flexibility, and accurate estimation. An independent wildfire simulator is utilized to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Second, based on the filter analysis, wildfire spreading situation and vehicle dynamics, the influence of different cooperation strategies of UAVs to the overall mission performance is studied. The multi-UAV cooperation problem is formulated in a distributed network. A consensus-based method is proposed to help address the problem. The optimal cooperation strategy of UAVs is obtained through mathematical analysis. The derived optimal cooperation strategy is then verified in an independent fire simulation environment to verify its effectiveness.

Oxytocin modulates third-party sanctioning of selfish and generous behavior within and between groups.

PubMed

Daughters, Katie; Manstead, Antony S R; Ten Velden, Femke S; De Dreu, Carsten K W

2017-03-01

Human groups function because members trust each other and reciprocate cooperative contributions, and reward others' cooperation and punish their non-cooperation. Here we examined the possibility that such third-party punishment and reward of others' trust and reciprocation is modulated by oxytocin, a neuropeptide generally involved in social bonding and in-group (but not out-group) serving behavior. Healthy males and females (N=100) self-administered a placebo or 24 IU of oxytocin in a randomized, double-blind, between-subjects design. Participants were asked to indicate (incentivized, costly) their level of reward or punishment for in-group (outgroup) investors donating generously or fairly to in-group (outgroup) trustees, who back-transferred generously, fairly or selfishly. Punishment (reward) was higher for selfish (generous) investments and back-transfers when (i) investors were in-group rather than outgroup, and (ii) trustees were in-group rather than outgroup, especially when (iii) participants received oxytocin rather than placebo. It follows, first, that oxytocin leads individuals to ignore out-groups as long as out-group behavior is not relevant to the in-group and, second, that oxytocin contributes to creating and enforcing in-group norms of cooperation and trust. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student Team Achievement Divisions: Its Effect on Electrical Motor Installation Knowledge Competence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanafi, Ahmad; Basuki, Ismet

2018-04-01

Student team achievement division (STAD) was an active learning strategy with the small group inside of the classroom members. The students would work in small heterogeneous groups (of five to six members) and help one another to comprehend the material given. To achieve the objectives of the study, this research aims to know the effect of STAD on competence of electrical motor installation. The objective of the student competence was knowledge competence. The data was collected from 30 students. the participants were the students of second class at electrical installation techniques, SMKN 1 Pungging Indonesia. The design of empirical test in this research was one shot case study. The result of knowledge test would be compared by criteria for minimum competence, which was 75. Knowledge competence was analyzed with one sample t test technique. From the analysis got average 84.93, which meant average of student competence had reached criteria for minimum competence. From that analyze, It could be concluded that STAD was effective on electrical motor installation knowledge competence. STAD could grow student motivation to learn better than other models. But, in the application of cooperative learning teacher should prepare carefully before the learning process to avoid problems that could arise during group learning such as students who were less active in the groups. The problem could be resolved by away the teachers took around to check each group. It was felt could minimize the problems.

7 CFR 4284.510 - Application processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... organizations receiving the assistance, and the transferability of its Cooperative development strategy and... solutions for complex cooperative development or marketing problems, or those with a record of conducting feasibility studies that later proved to be accurate, business planning, marketing analysis, or other...

Synergistic cooperation promotes multicellular performance and unicellular free-rider persistence

PubMed Central

Driscoll, William W; Travisano, Michael

2017-01-01

The evolution of multicellular life requires cooperation among cells, which can be undermined by intra-group selection for selfishness. Theory predicts that selection to avoid non-cooperators limits social interactions among non-relatives, yet previous evolution experiments suggest that intra-group conflict is an outcome, rather than a driver, of incipient multicellular life cycles. Here we report the evolution of multicellularity via two distinct mechanisms of group formation in the unicellular budding yeast Kluyveromyces lactis. Cells remain permanently attached following mitosis, giving rise to clonal clusters (staying together); clusters then reversibly assemble into social groups (coming together). Coming together amplifies the benefits of multicellularity and allows social clusters to collectively outperform solitary clusters. However, cooperation among non-relatives also permits fast-growing unicellular lineages to ‘free-ride' during selection for increased size. Cooperation and competition for the benefits of multicellularity promote the stable coexistence of unicellular and multicellular genotypes, underscoring the importance of social and ecological context during the transition to multicellularity. PMID:28580966

Astronomical Interlibrary Cooperation: The Long and Difficult Plan for Coordinated Acquisition of Journals -- the Italian Case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasperini, A.; Abrami, L.; Olostro Cirella, E.

2007-10-01

Until 2002, the Italian astronomical observatories were independent research institutes. Their libraries, though different in their origins and history, shared common bibliographical materials, users and aims. This situation prompted a first experience of unofficial cooperation between astronomical observatory libraries, which produced outstanding results, in particular a detailed survey of the nature, cost and use of scientific journals. Starting from 2002, when the 12 observatories merged into a single institution, the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), the experience of cooperation between the libraries became official. The INAF headquarters, in fact, has recently established the Library Documentary and Archive Service of the National Institute for Astrophysics (SBDA-INAF) in order to have a centralized astronomical bibliographical service and to promote cooperation among libraries. At the end of 2004, following the INAF rearrangement, 5 Institutes of the National Research Council (CNR) joined the still new organization introducing further complications. In this work we explain all the problems faced by a working group to elaborate an efficient plan of coordinated acquisition of journals: the difficulties in coordinating 17 different sites distributed over the whole national territory, the not so easy negotiation with the publishers, the choice between e-only or print & online and, last but not least, the psychological impact on the scientific community. The cooperation among Italian astronomical libraries was a plan begun many years ago and has continued through various events over the years. This presentation takes into consideration the various stages of our project focusing on some crucial aspects.

76 FR 66324 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-26

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Nasgro Development and Support Notice is hereby given that, on October 3, 2011, pursuant to Section 6(a) of the National Cooperative Research and Production...

76 FR 70759 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-15

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Energy Storage System Evaluation and Safety Notice is hereby given that, on October 6, 2011, pursuant to Section 6(a) of the National Cooperative Research and...

Personal Trust Increases Cooperation beyond General Trust

PubMed Central

Acedo-Carmona, Cristina; Gomila, Antoni

2014-01-01

In this paper we present a new methodology which, while allowing for anonymous interaction, it also makes possible to compare decisions of cooperating or defecting when playing games within a group, according to whether or not players personally trust each other. The design thus goes beyond standard approaches to the role of trust in fostering cooperation, which is restricted to general trust. It also allows considering the role of the topology of the social network involved may play in the level of cooperation found. The results of this work support the idea that personal trust promotes cooperation beyond the level of general trust. We also found that this effect carries over to the whole group, making it more cohesive, but that higher levels of cohesion rely on a particular topology. As a conclusion, we hypothesize that personal trust is a psychological mechanism evolved to make human social life possible in the small groups our ancestors lived in, and that this mechanism persists and plays a role in sustaining cooperation and social cohesion. PMID:25144539

The evolution of altruistic social preferences in human groups

PubMed Central

Silk, Joan B.; House, Bailey R.

2016-01-01

In this paper, we consider three hypotheses to account for the evolution of the extraordinary capacity for large-scale cooperation and altruistic social preferences within human societies. One hypothesis is that human cooperation is built on the same evolutionary foundations as cooperation in other animal societies, and that fundamental elements of the social preferences that shape our species' cooperative behaviour are also shared with other closely related primates. Another hypothesis is that selective pressures favouring cooperative breeding have shaped the capacity for cooperation and the development of social preferences, and produced a common set of behavioural dispositions and social preferences in cooperatively breeding primates and humans. The third hypothesis is that humans have evolved derived capacities for collaboration, group-level cooperation and altruistic social preferences that are linked to our capacity for culture. We draw on naturalistic data to assess differences in the form, scope and scale of cooperation between humans and other primates, experimental data to evaluate the nature of social preferences across primate species, and comparative analyses to evaluate the evolutionary origins of cooperative breeding and related forms of behaviour. PMID:26729936

Multi Groups Cooperation based Symbiotic Evolution for TSK-type Neuro-Fuzzy Systems Design

PubMed Central

Cheng, Yi-Chang; Hsu, Yung-Chi

2010-01-01

In this paper, a TSK-type neuro-fuzzy system with multi groups cooperation based symbiotic evolution method (TNFS-MGCSE) is proposed. The TNFS-MGCSE is developed from symbiotic evolution. The symbiotic evolution is different from traditional GAs (genetic algorithms) that each chromosome in symbiotic evolution represents a rule of fuzzy model. The MGCSE is different from the traditional symbiotic evolution; with a population in MGCSE is divided to several groups. Each group formed by a set of chromosomes represents a fuzzy rule and cooperate with other groups to generate the better chromosomes by using the proposed cooperation based crossover strategy (CCS). In this paper, the proposed TNFS-MGCSE is used to evaluate by numerical examples (Mackey-Glass chaotic time series and sunspot number forecasting). The performance of the TNFS-MGCSE achieves excellently with other existing models in the simulations. PMID:21709856

What Type of Communication during Conflict is Beneficial for Intimate Relationships?

PubMed Central

Overall, Nickola C.; McNulty, James K.

2016-01-01

What constitutes effective communication during conflict? Answering this question requires (a) clarifying whether communication expresses opposition versus cooperation and is direct versus indirect, (b) assessing the mechanisms through which communication effects relationships, and (c) identifying the contextual factors that determine the impact of communication. Recent research incorporating these components illustrates that direct opposition is beneficial when serious problems need to be addressed and partners are able to change, but can be harmful when partners are not confident or secure enough to be responsive. In contrast, cooperative communication involving affection and validation can be harmful when serious problems need to changed, but may be beneficial when problems are minor, cannot be changed, or involve partners whose defensiveness curtails problem solving. PMID:28025652

Further clarity on cooperation and morality.

PubMed

Oderberg, David S

2017-04-01

I explore the increasingly important issue of cooperation in immoral actions, particularly in connection with healthcare. Conscientious objection, especially as pertains to religious freedom in healthcare, has become a pressing issue in the light of the US Supreme Court judgement in Hobby Lobby Section 'Moral evaluation using the basic principles of cooperation' outlines a theory of cooperation inspired by Catholic moral theologians such as those cited by the court. The theory has independent plausibility and is at least worthy of serious consideration-in part because it is an instance of double-effect reasoning, which is also independently plausible despite its association with moral theology. Section 'Case study: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby ' examines Hobby Lobby in detail. Even if the judgement was correct in that case the reasoning was not, as it involved applying a 'mere sincerity' test to the cooperation question. The mere sincerity test leads to absurd consequences, whereas a reasonableness test applied using the theory of cooperation defended here would avoid absurdity. Section 'A question of remoteness: "accommodations" and opt-outs' explores the post- Hobby Lobby problem further, examining opt-outs and accommodations: the Little Sisters of the Poor case shows how opt-outs are misunderstood on a mere sincerity test, which the court rightly rejected. Section 'Application to the medical field: Doogan and Wood ' discusses the UK case of Doogan and Wood , concerning participation in abortion. Again, a judicially recognised ethic of cooperation, if it were part of the fabric of legal reasoning in such cases, would have enabled the conscientious objectors in this and similar situations to have their freedom of conscience and religion respected in a way that it currently is not. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Face structure predicts cooperation: men with wider faces are more generous to their in-group when out-group competition is salient.

PubMed

Stirrat, M; Perrett, D I

2012-07-01

Male facial width-to-height ratio appears to correlate with antisocial tendencies, such as aggression, exploitation, cheating, and deception. We present evidence that male facial width-to-height ratio is also associated with a stereotypically male prosocial tendency: to increase cooperation with other in-group members during intergroup competition. We found that men who had wider faces, compared with men who had narrower faces, showed more self-sacrificing cooperation to help their group members when there was competition with another group. We propose that this finding makes sense given the evolutionary functions of social helpfulness and aggression.

Effects of Cooperative Learning on Learning Achievement and Group Working Behavior of Junior Students in Modern French Literature Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orprayoon, Soudaya

2014-01-01

This study reported on the results of a quasi-experimental research to explore the effectiveness of using a cooperative learning method on students' academic achievement, their group working behavior and their perception and opinions towards cooperative learning in a Modern French Literature course. The sample included twelve junior students…

The Impact of Cooperative Learning on Developing the Sixth Grade Students Decision-Making Skill and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asha, Intisar K.; Al Hawi, Asma M.

2016-01-01

This study aimed at investigating the effect of cooperative learning on developing the sixth graders' decision making skill and their academic achievement. The study sample, which was selected randomly, consisted of (46) students and divided into two groups: the experimental group that taught using the cooperative learning strategy and the control…

The Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning on the Reading Comprehension Skills in Turkish as a Foreign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolukbas, Fatma; Keskin, Funda; Polat, Mustafa

2011-01-01

Cooperative learning is a process through which students with various abilities, gender, nationalities and different level of social skills carry out their learning process by working in small groups and helping each other. Cooperative learning is a pedagogical use of small groups which enable students to maximize both their own and others'…

U.S. Security Cooperation with India and Pakistan: A Comparative Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions, and resulted in further sanctions200 Pakistan spent the better part of the 1990s seething about the U.S. “abandonment... nuclear accident that happens in future. (From India’s perspective, the problem of liability has been exacerbated by the Fukushima disaster and anti...14. SUBJECT TERMS: United States, India, Pakistan, Security Cooperation, South Asia, Cold War, Defense Cooperation, Kashmir, Nuclear

Incorporating More Individual Accountability in Group Activities in General Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Charles T., Jr.

2015-01-01

A modified model of cooperative learning known as the GIG model (for group-individual-group) designed and implemented in a large enrollment freshman chemistry course. The goal of the model is to establish a cooperative environment while emphasizing greater individual accountability using both group and individual assignments. The assignments were…

Cognitive cooperation groups mediated by computers and internet present significant improvement of cognitive status in older adults with memory complaints: a controlled prospective study.

PubMed

Krug, Rodrigo de Rosso; Silva, Anna Quialheiro Abreu da; Schneider, Ione Jayce Ceola; Ramos, Luiz Roberto; d'Orsi, Eleonora; Xavier, André Junqueira

2017-04-01

To estimate the effect of participating in cognitive cooperation groups, mediated by computers and the internet, on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) percent variation of outpatients with memory complaints attending two memory clinics. A prospective controlled intervention study carried out from 2006 to 2013 with 293 elders. The intervention group (n = 160) attended a cognitive cooperation group (20 sessions of 1.5 hours each). The control group (n = 133) received routine medical care. Outcome was the percent variation in the MMSE. Control variables included gender, age, marital status, schooling, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypothyroidism, depression, vascular diseases, polymedication, use of benzodiazepines, exposure to tobacco, sedentary lifestyle, obesity and functional capacity. The final model was obtained by multivariate linear regression. The intervention group obtained an independent positive variation of 24.39% (CI 95% = 14.86/33.91) in the MMSE compared to the control group. The results suggested that cognitive cooperation groups, mediated by computers and the internet, are associated with cognitive status improvement of older adults in memory clinics.

Group size adjustment to ecological demand in a cooperative breeder.

PubMed

Zöttl, Markus; Frommen, Joachim G; Taborsky, Michael

2013-04-07

Environmental factors can determine which group size will maximize the fitness of group members. This is particularly important in cooperative breeders, where group members often serve different purposes. Experimental studies are yet lacking to check whether ecologically mediated need for help will change the propensity of dominant group members to accept immigrants. Here, we manipulated the perceived risk of predation for dominant breeders of the cooperatively breeding cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher to test their response to unrelated and previously unknown immigrants. Potential immigrants were more readily accepted if groups were exposed to fish predators or egg predators than to herbivorous fish or control situations lacking predation risk. Our data are consistent with both risk dilution and helping effects. Egg predators were presented before spawning, which might suggest that the fish adjust acceptance rates also to a potential future threat. Dominant group members of N. pulcher apparently consider both present and future need of help based on ecological demand. This suggests that acceptance of immigrants and, more generally, tolerance of group members on demand could be a widespread response to ecological conditions in cooperatively breeding animals.

Cooperative Learning: Developments in Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillies, Robyn M.

2014-01-01

Cooperative learning is widely recognized as a pedagogical practice that promotes socialization and learning among students from kindergarten through to college level and across different subject areas. Cooperative learning involves students working together to achieve common goals or complete group tasks. Interest in cooperative learning has…

Developments in environmental auditing by supreme audit institutions.

PubMed

Van Leeuwen, Sylvia

2004-02-01

At the end of the 1980s, Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) became aware of their responsibility towards the environment and environmental policy. In this article, the development of environmental auditing by SAIs during the last 10 years is presented, as well as the current state of the art. The description is based on the results of three questionnaire surveys held in 1994, 1997, and 2000 by the INTOSAI Working Group in Environmental Auditing. In most countries, the government has stipulated some form of environmental policy, and the SAI has a mandate to carry out regularity and/or performance audits. The activities of SAIs have developed substantially since 1993. Nowadays, environmental auditing is a substantial and regular part of the audit work of more than half of the SAIs. Environmental problems are often transboundary in nature. SAIs can contribute to international environmental cooperation by auditing the compliance of their national government with international environmental obligations and commitments. The INTOSAI Working Group on environmental auditing wants to enhance this type of audit and has provided guidelines for the audit process and the selection of international agreements. Moreover, cooperation between SAIs is a good method to exchange experiences and to learn from each other.

Teleradiology applications with DICOM-e-mail.

PubMed

Weisser, G; Engelmann, U; Ruggiero, S; Runa, A; Schröter, A; Baur, S; Walz, M

2007-05-01

For the connection of several partners to a Dicom-e-mail based teleradiology network concepts were developed to allow the integration of different teleradiology applications. The organisational and technical needs for such an integration were analysed. More than 60 institutions including 23 hospitals in the Rhein-Neckar-Region, Germany were connected. The needed functionality was grouped in six teleradiology applications (emergency consultation, tele-guided examinations, expert consultations, cooperative work, scientific cooperations and homework with on call services) and their technical and organisational needs according to availability, speed of transfer, workflow definitions and data security needs was analysed. For the local integration of teleradiology services the setup and workflow is presented for a standalone teleradiology workstation and a server based teleradiology gateway. The line type needed for different groups of applications and users is defined. The security concept and fallback strategies are laid out, potential security problems and sources of errors are discussed. The specialties for the emergency teleradiology application are presented. The DICOM-e-mail protocol is a flexible and powerful protocol that can be used for a variety of teleradiology applications. It can meet the conditions for emergency applications but is limited if synchronous applications like teleconferences are needed.

The Teacher's Sourcebook for Cooperative Learning: Practical Techniques, Basic Principles, and Frequently Asked Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, George M.; Power, Michael A.; Inn, Loh Wan

This book demonstrates how classroom teachers can use cooperative learning techniques for lesson planning and classroom management. It emphasizes that cooperation among students is powerful, and it notes that just because students are in a group does not mean that they are cooperating. Part 1, "Getting Started with Cooperative Learning," includes…

Building the Leviathan – Voluntary centralisation of punishment power sustains cooperation in humans

PubMed Central

Gross, Jörg; Méder, Zsombor Z.; Okamoto-Barth, Sanae; Riedl, Arno

2016-01-01

The prevalence of cooperation among humans is puzzling because cooperators can be exploited by free riders. Peer punishment has been suggested as a solution to this puzzle, but cumulating evidence questions its robustness in sustaining cooperation. Amongst others, punishment fails when it is not powerful enough, or when it elicits counter-punishment. Existing research, however, has ignored that the distribution of punishment power can be the result of social interactions. We introduce a novel experiment in which individuals can transfer punishment power to others. We find that while decentralised peer punishment fails to overcome free riding, the voluntary transfer of punishment power enables groups to sustain cooperation. This is achieved by non-punishing cooperators empowering those who are willing to punish in the interest of the group. Our results show how voluntary power centralisation can efficiently sustain cooperation, which could explain why hierarchical power structures are widespread among animals and humans. PMID:26888519

Building the Leviathan--Voluntary centralisation of punishment power sustains cooperation in humans.

PubMed

Gross, Jörg; Méder, Zsombor Z; Okamoto-Barth, Sanae; Riedl, Arno

2016-02-18

The prevalence of cooperation among humans is puzzling because cooperators can be exploited by free riders. Peer punishment has been suggested as a solution to this puzzle, but cumulating evidence questions its robustness in sustaining cooperation. Amongst others, punishment fails when it is not powerful enough, or when it elicits counter-punishment. Existing research, however, has ignored that the distribution of punishment power can be the result of social interactions. We introduce a novel experiment in which individuals can transfer punishment power to others. We find that while decentralised peer punishment fails to overcome free riding, the voluntary transfer of punishment power enables groups to sustain cooperation. This is achieved by non-punishing cooperators empowering those who are willing to punish in the interest of the group. Our results show how voluntary power centralisation can efficiently sustain cooperation, which could explain why hierarchical power structures are widespread among animals and humans.

Orthopaedic Problems of the Mentally Retarded

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McSweeney, Anthony

1972-01-01

Problems encountered by orthopedic surgeons treating the mentally retarded are identified, and cooperation among pediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and orthopedic surgeons is recommended. (GW)

Culture and cooperation

PubMed Central

Gächter, Simon; Herrmann, Benedikt; Thöni, Christian

2010-01-01

Does the cultural background influence the success with which genetically unrelated individuals cooperate in social dilemma situations? In this paper, we provide an answer by analysing the data of Herrmann et al. (2008a), who studied cooperation and punishment in 16 subject pools from six different world cultures (as classified by Inglehart & Baker (2000)). We use analysis of variance to disentangle the importance of cultural background relative to individual heterogeneity and group-level differences in cooperation. We find that culture has a substantial influence on the extent of cooperation, in addition to individual heterogeneity and group-level differences identified by previous research. The significance of this result is that cultural background has a substantial influence on cooperation in otherwise identical environments. This is particularly true in the presence of punishment opportunities. PMID:20679109

HiCoDG: a hierarchical data-gathering scheme using cooperative multiple mobile elements.

PubMed

Van Le, Duc; Oh, Hoon; Yoon, Seokhoon

2014-12-17

In this paper, we study mobile element (ME)-based data-gathering schemes in wireless sensor networks. Due to the physical speed limits of mobile elements, the existing data-gathering schemes that use mobile elements can suffer from high data-gathering latency. In order to address this problem, this paper proposes a new hierarchical and cooperative data-gathering (HiCoDG) scheme that enables multiple mobile elements to cooperate with each other to collect and relay data. In HiCoDG, two types of mobile elements are used: the mobile collector (MC) and the mobile relay (MR). MCs collect data from sensors and forward them to the MR, which will deliver them to the sink. In this work, we also formulated an integer linear programming (ILP) optimization problem to find the optimal trajectories for MCs and the MR, such that the traveling distance of MEs is minimized. Two variants of HiCoDG, intermediate station (IS)-based and cooperative movement scheduling (CMS)-based, are proposed to facilitate cooperative data forwarding from MCs to the MR. An analytical model for estimating the average data-gathering latency in HiCoDG was also designed. Simulations were performed to compare the performance of the IS and CMS variants, as well as a multiple traveling salesman problem (mTSP)-based approach. The simulation results show that HiCoDG outperforms mTSP in terms of latency. The results also show that CMS can achieve the lowest latency with low energy consumption.

HiCoDG: A Hierarchical Data-Gathering Scheme Using Cooperative Multiple Mobile Elements †

PubMed Central

Van Le, Duc; Oh, Hoon; Yoon, Seokhoon

2014-01-01

In this paper, we study mobile element (ME)-based data-gathering schemes in wireless sensor networks. Due to the physical speed limits of mobile elements, the existing data-gathering schemes that use mobile elements can suffer from high data-gathering latency. In order to address this problem, this paper proposes a new hierarchical and cooperative data-gathering (HiCoDG) scheme that enables multiple mobile elements to cooperate with each other to collect and relay data. In HiCoDG, two types of mobile elements are used: the mobile collector (MC) and the mobile relay (MR). MCs collect data from sensors and forward them to the MR, which will deliver them to the sink. In this work, we also formulated an integer linear programming (ILP) optimization problem to find the optimal trajectories for MCs and the MR, such that the traveling distance of MEs is minimized. Two variants of HiCoDG, intermediate station (IS)-based and cooperative movement scheduling (CMS)-based, are proposed to facilitate cooperative data forwarding from MCs to the MR. An analytical model for estimating the average data-gathering latency in HiCoDG was also designed. Simulations were performed to compare the performance of the IS and CMS variants, as well as a multiple traveling salesman problem (mTSP)-based approach. The simulation results show that HiCoDG outperforms mTSP in terms of latency. The results also show that CMS can achieve the lowest latency with low energy consumption. PMID:25526356

Peer pressure: enhancement of cooperation through mutual punishment.

PubMed

Yang, Han-Xin; Wu, Zhi-Xi; Rong, Zhihai; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2015-02-01

An open problem in evolutionary game dynamics is to understand the effect of peer pressure on cooperation in a quantitative manner. Peer pressure can be modeled by punishment, which has been proved to be an effective mechanism to sustain cooperation among selfish individuals. We investigate a symmetric punishment strategy, in which an individual will punish each neighbor if their strategies are different, and vice versa. Because of the symmetry in imposing the punishment, one might intuitively expect the strategy to have little effect on cooperation. Utilizing the prisoner's dilemma game as a prototypical model of interactions at the individual level, we find, through simulation and theoretical analysis, that proper punishment, when even symmetrically imposed on individuals, can enhance cooperation. Also, we find that the initial density of cooperators plays an important role in the evolution of cooperation driven by mutual punishment.

Peer pressure: Enhancement of cooperation through mutual punishment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Han-Xin; Wu, Zhi-Xi; Rong, Zhihai; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2015-02-01

An open problem in evolutionary game dynamics is to understand the effect of peer pressure on cooperation in a quantitative manner. Peer pressure can be modeled by punishment, which has been proved to be an effective mechanism to sustain cooperation among selfish individuals. We investigate a symmetric punishment strategy, in which an individual will punish each neighbor if their strategies are different, and vice versa. Because of the symmetry in imposing the punishment, one might intuitively expect the strategy to have little effect on cooperation. Utilizing the prisoner's dilemma game as a prototypical model of interactions at the individual level, we find, through simulation and theoretical analysis, that proper punishment, when even symmetrically imposed on individuals, can enhance cooperation. Also, we find that the initial density of cooperators plays an important role in the evolution of cooperation driven by mutual punishment.

Adaptive and bounded investment returns promote cooperation in spatial public goods games.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaojie; Liu, Yongkui; Zhou, Yonghui; Wang, Long; Perc, Matjaž

2012-01-01

The public goods game is one of the most famous models for studying the evolution of cooperation in sizable groups. The multiplication factor in this game can characterize the investment return from the public good, which may be variable depending on the interactive environment in realistic situations. Instead of using the same universal value, here we consider that the multiplication factor in each group is updated based on the differences between the local and global interactive environments in the spatial public goods game, but meanwhile limited to within a certain range. We find that the adaptive and bounded investment returns can significantly promote cooperation. In particular, full cooperation can be achieved for high feedback strength when appropriate limitation is set for the investment return. Also, we show that the fraction of cooperators in the whole population can become larger if the lower and upper limits of the multiplication factor are increased. Furthermore, in comparison to the traditionally spatial public goods game where the multiplication factor in each group is identical and fixed, we find that cooperation can be better promoted if the multiplication factor is constrained to adjust between one and the group size in our model. Our results highlight the importance of the locally adaptive and bounded investment returns for the emergence and dominance of cooperative behavior in structured populations.

Adaptive and Bounded Investment Returns Promote Cooperation in Spatial Public Goods Games

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiaojie; Liu, Yongkui; Zhou, Yonghui; Wang, Long; Perc, Matjaž

2012-01-01

The public goods game is one of the most famous models for studying the evolution of cooperation in sizable groups. The multiplication factor in this game can characterize the investment return from the public good, which may be variable depending on the interactive environment in realistic situations. Instead of using the same universal value, here we consider that the multiplication factor in each group is updated based on the differences between the local and global interactive environments in the spatial public goods game, but meanwhile limited to within a certain range. We find that the adaptive and bounded investment returns can significantly promote cooperation. In particular, full cooperation can be achieved for high feedback strength when appropriate limitation is set for the investment return. Also, we show that the fraction of cooperators in the whole population can become larger if the lower and upper limits of the multiplication factor are increased. Furthermore, in comparison to the traditionally spatial public goods game where the multiplication factor in each group is identical and fixed, we find that cooperation can be better promoted if the multiplication factor is constrained to adjust between one and the group size in our model. Our results highlight the importance of the locally adaptive and bounded investment returns for the emergence and dominance of cooperative behavior in structured populations. PMID:22615836

Patch depletion, niche structuring and the evolution of co-operative foraging

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Many animals live in groups. One proposed reason is that grouping allows cooperative food finding. Group foraging models suggest that grouping could increase food finding rates, but that such group processes could be evolutionarily unstable. These models assume discrete food patches which are fully detectable. However, often animals may only be able to perceive local parts of larger-scale environmental patterns. We therefore use a spatial individual-based model where food patches are aggregates of food items beyond the scale of individual perception. We then study the evolution of foraging and grouping behavior in environments with different resource distributions. Results Our results show that grouping can evolve to increase food intake rates. Two kinds of grouping evolve: traveling pairs and opportunistic grouping, where individuals only aggregate when feeding. Grouping evolves because it allows individuals to better sense and deplete patches. Such enhanced patch depletion is particularly apparent on fragmented and partially depleted patches, which are especially difficult for solitary foragers to deplete. Solitary foragers often leave a patch prematurely because a whole patch cannot be observed directly. In groups, individuals that are still eating allow other individuals that inadvertently leave the patch, to return and continue feeding. For this information sharing a grouping tendency is sufficient and observing whether a neighbor is eating is not necessary. Grouping therefore leads to a release from individual sensing constraints and a shift in niche specialization, allowing individuals to better exploit partially depleted patches. Conclusions The evolved group foraging can be seen as cooperative in the sense that it leads to a mutually-beneficial synergy: together individuals can achieve more than on their own. This cooperation exists as a group-level process generated by the interaction between grouping and the environment. Thus we reveal how such a synergy can originate in evolution as a side-effect of grouping via multi-level selection. Here there is no cooperative dilemma as individuals cannot avoid producing information for their neighbors. This scenario may be a useful starting point for studying the evolution of further social and cooperative complexity. PMID:22093680

Stags, Hawks, and Doves: Social Evolution Theory and Individual Variation in Cooperation.

PubMed

Van Cleve, Jeremy

2017-09-01

One of the triumphs of evolutionary biology is the discovery of robust mechanisms that promote the evolution of cooperative behaviors even when cooperation reduces the fertility or survival of cooperators. These mechanisms include, kin selection, reciprocity, and direct benefits to cooperation that are often nonlinear. Though they have been extensively studied separately, investigating the joint action of these mechanisms has been more difficult. Moreover, how these mechanisms shape variation in cooperation is not well known. Such variation is crucial for understanding the evolution of behavioral syndromes and animal personality. Here, I use the tools of kin selection and evolutionary game theory to build a framework that integrates these mechanisms for pairwise social interactions. Using relatedness as a measure of the strength of kin selection, responsiveness as a measure of reciprocity, and synergy as a measure of payoff nonlinearity, I show how different combinations of these three parameters produce directional selection for or against cooperation or variation in levels of cooperation via stabilizing or diversifying selection. Moreover, each of these outcomes maps uniquely to one of four classic games from evolutionary game theory, which means that modulating relatedness, responsiveness, and synergy effectively transforms the payoff matrix from one the evolutionary game to another. Assuming that cooperation exacts a fertility cost on cooperators and provides a fertility benefit to social partners, a prisoner's dilemma game and directional selection against cooperation occur when relatedness and responsiveness are low and synergy is not too positive. Enough positive synergy in these conditions generates a stag-hunt game and diversifying selection. High levels of relatedness or responsiveness turn cooperation from a fitness cost into a fitness benefit, which produces a mutualism game and directional selection for cooperation when synergy is not too negative. Sufficiently negative synergy in this case creates a hawk-dove game and stabilizing selection for cooperation. I extend the results with relatedness and synergy to social groups and show that how group size changes the effect of relatedness and synergy on selection for cooperation depends on how the per capita benefit of cooperation changes with group size. Together, these results provide a general framework with which to generate comparative predictions that can be tested using quantitative genetic techniques and experimental techniques that manipulate investment in cooperation. These predictions will help us understand both interspecific variation in cooperation as well as within-population and within-group variation in cooperation related to behavioral syndromes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of the efficacy of a dental plaque control program in autistic patients.

PubMed

Dias, Guilherme G; Prado, Eliane F G B; Vadasz, Estevão; Siqueira, José Tadeu T

2010-06-01

The aim of this study was to verify the efficacy of a programme for dental plaque control in autistics. Patients were evaluated on five occasions over a period of 180 days using the following instruments: OHI-S, DMF-T, the Fonnes brushing technique and diet questionnaire. Participants were divided into two groups according to level of co-operation on the programme: Group A (co-operative) and Group B (non-cooperative). A statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001) in Oral Hygiene was attained, with 84.2% showing regular or satisfactory hygiene at study end-point. Groups A and B both showed improvement in hygiene (p < 0.001 and p = 0.004), but improvement was significantly higher among co-operative patients (p < 0.001 at 180 days), who also had a higher mean age (p = 0.02).

Focal Point Theory Models for Dissecting Dynamic Duality Problems of Microbial Infections

PubMed Central

Huang, S.-H.; Zhou, W.; Jong, A.

2008-01-01

Extending along the dynamic continuum from conflict to cooperation, microbial infections always involve symbiosis (Sym) and pathogenesis (Pat). There exists a dynamic Sym-Pat duality (DSPD) in microbial infection that is the most fundamental problem in infectomics. DSPD is encoded by the genomes of both the microbes and their hosts. Three focal point (FP) theory-based game models (pure cooperative, dilemma, and pure conflict) are proposed for resolving those problems. Our health is associated with the dynamic interactions of three microbial communities (nonpathogenic microbiota (NP) (Cooperation), conditional pathogens (CP) (Dilemma), and unconditional pathogens (UP) (Conflict)) with the hosts at different health statuses. Sym and Pat can be quantitated by measuring symbiotic index (SI), which is quantitative fitness for the symbiotic partnership, and pathogenic index (PI), which is quantitative damage to the symbiotic partnership, respectively. Symbiotic point (SP), which bears analogy to FP, is a function of SI and PI. SP-converting and specific pathogen-targeting strategies can be used for the rational control of microbial infections. PMID:18350122

Cooperation and Conflict: Faction Problem of Western Medicine Group in Modern China.

PubMed

Jo, Jeongeun

2016-08-01

After the defeat of the Opium War and the Sino-Japanese War, China's intellectuals realized necessity of modernization (Westernization) to survive in the imperial order of the survival of the fittest. In particular, it was urgent to accept Western medicine and train the doctors who learned Western medicine to change the sick and weary Chinese to be robust. Thus, new occupations of the Western Medicine Group (xiyi, doctors who learned Western medicine) emerged in China. As with the first profession, the new Western Medicine Group tried to define standards of Western medicine and medical profession; however, it was difficult in the absence of the strong central government. In addition, they formed a faction by the country where they studied or the language they learned. The factions included the Britain - America faction(yingmeipai) consisting of the Britain - America studied doctors or graduates from Protestant missions based medical schools, and the Germany - Japan faction(deripai), graduates from medical schools by Japanese or German government and the Chinese government. In 1915, they founded the National Medical Association of China mainly consisting of the Britain - America faction and the National Medical and Pharmaceutical Association of China led by the Germany - Japan faction. Initially, exchanges were active so most of eminent doctors belonged the two associations at the same time. They had a consciousness of a common occupation group as a doctor who had learned Western medicine. Thus, they actively cooperated to keep their profits against Chinese medicine and enjoy their reputation. Their cooperation emitted light particularly in translation of medical terms and unified works. Thanks to cooperation, the two associations selected medical terminologies by properly using the cases of the West and Japan. Additionally, medical schools of the Britain - America faction and the Germany - Japan faction produced various levels of the Western Medicine Group doctors for China to timely respond to the rapidly increased demand. However, a conflict over the promotion of hygiene administration and the unification, organization of medical education did not end. This conflict was deepening as the Nanjing nationalist government promoted sanitary administration. It was the Britain - America faction who seized a chance of victory. It was because figures from the Britain - America faction held important positions in the hygiene department. Of course, some related to the National Medical and Pharmaceutical Association of China were also involved in the hygiene department; however, most took charge of simple technical tasks, not having a significant impact on hygiene administration. To solve the problem of factions of the Western Medicine Group, the Britain - America faction or the Germany - Japan faction had to arrange the education system with a strong power, or to organize a new association of two factions mixed, as in Chinese faction(zhonghuapai). But an effort of the Britain - America faction to unify the systems of medical schools did not reach the Germany - Japan faction's medical schools. Additionally, from 1928, executives of the two Chinese medical associations discussed their merger; however they could not agree because of practitioners'interests involved. Substantially, a conflict between factions of the Western Medicine Group continued even until the mid-1930s. This implies that the then Chinese government had a lack of capacity of uniting and organizing the medical community.

Oxytocin Motivates Non-Cooperation in Intergroup Conflict to Protect Vulnerable In-Group Members

PubMed Central

De Dreu, Carsten K. W.; Shalvi, Shaul; Greer, Lindred L.; Van Kleef, Gerben A.; Handgraaf, Michel J. J.

2012-01-01

Intergroup conflict is often driven by an individual's motivation to protect oneself and fellow group members against the threat of out-group aggression, including the tendency to pre-empt out-group threat through a competitive approach. Here we link such defense-motivated competition to oxytocin, a hypothalamic neuropeptide involved in reproduction and social bonding. An intergroup conflict game was developed to disentangle whether oxytocin motivates competitive approach to protect (i) immediate self-interest, (ii) vulnerable in-group members, or (iii) both. Males self-administered oxytocin or placebo (double-blind placebo-controlled) and made decisions with financial consequences to themselves, their fellow in-group members, and a competing out-group. Game payoffs were manipulated between-subjects so that non-cooperation by the out-group had high vs. low impact on personal payoff (personal vulnerability), and high vs. low impact on payoff to fellow in-group members (in-group vulnerability). When personal vulnerability was high, non-cooperation was unaffected by treatment and in-group vulnerability. When personal vulnerability was low, however, in-group vulnerability motivated non-cooperation but only when males received oxytocin. Oxytocin fuels a defense-motivated competitive approach to protect vulnerable group members, even when personal fate is not at stake. PMID:23144787

Emergence of social cooperation in threshold public goods games with collective risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jing; Fu, Feng; Wu, Te; Wang, Long

2009-07-01

In real situations, people are often faced with the option of voluntary contribution to achieve a collective goal, for example, building a dam or a fence, in order to avoid an unfavorable loss. Those who do not donate, however, can free ride on others’ sacrifices. As a result, cooperation is difficult to maintain, leading to an enduring collective-risk social dilemma. To address this issue, here we propose a simple yet effective theoretical model of threshold public goods game with collective risk and focus on the effect of risk on the emergence of social cooperation. To do this, we consider the population dynamics represented by replicator equation for two simplifying scenarios, respectively: one with fair sharers, who contribute the minimum average amount versus defectors and the other with altruists contributing more than average versus defectors. For both cases, we find that the dilemma is relieved in high-risk situations where cooperation is likely to persist and dominate defection in the population. Large initial endowment to individuals also encourages the risk-averse action, which means that, as compared to poor players (with small initial endowment), wealthy individuals (with large initial endowment) are more likely to cooperate in order to protect their private accounts. In addition, we show that small donation amount and small threshold (collective target) can encourage and sustain cooperation. Furthermore, for other parameters fixed, the impacts of group size act differently on the two scenarios because of distinct mechanisms: in the former case where the cost of cooperation depends on the group size, large size of group readily results in defection, while easily maintains cooperation in the latter case where the cost of cooperation is fixed irrespective of the group size. Our theoretical results of the replicator dynamics are in excellent agreement with the individual based simulation results.

[Mental disorders and diabetes mellitus].

PubMed

Abrahamian, Heidemarie; Kautzky-Willer, Alexandra; Rießland-Seifert, Angelika; Fasching, Peter; Ebenbichler, Christoph; Hofmann, Peter; Toplak, Hermann

2016-04-01

Psychiatric disorders and psychological problems are common in patients with diabetes mellitus. There is a twofold increase in depression which is associated with suboptimal glycemic control and increased morbidity and mortality. Other psychiatric disorders with a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus are cognitive impairment, dementia, disturbed eating behaviour, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and borderline personality disorder. The coincidence of mental disorders and diabetes mellitus has unfavourable influences on metabolic control and micro- and macroangiopathic late complications. Improvement of therapeutic outcome is a challenge in the modern health care system. The intentions behind this position paper are to rise awareness of this special set of problems, to intensify cooperation between involved health care providers and to reduce incidence of diabetes mellitus as well as morbidity and mortality from diabetes in this patient group.

Differences in temperament and character dimensions in adolescents with various conduct disorders.

PubMed

Dukanac, Vesna; Džamonja-Ignjatović, Tamara; Milanović, Marko; Popović-Ćitić, Branislava

2016-04-01

Adolescence is characterized both by a large developmental potential and by an increased risk for emergence of different forms of psychopathology. International classifications of mental disorders recognize the psychopathology of adolescence at the age of 15−18 through the categories of conduct disorders and some forms of addiction: chemical and non-chemical. The aim of this research was to analyse the personality structure among four groups of adolescents manifesting different types of conduct disorder based on Cloninger’s Psychobiological theory of personality. The research sample consisted of 140 respondents at the age of 16−18, divided into five groups: 30 respondents manifesting socialized conduct disorder, 20 adolescents in conflict with the law, 30 respondents manifesting abuse of psychoactive substances, 30 respondents with the problem of the Internet addiction and 30 from general population. The Belgrade Adolescent Personality Inventory (BAPI) questionnaire was used for the purpose of assessment of personality. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), followed by univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences between the given groups of adolescents. The results of MANOVA show differences in the personality structure among the groups, both in the dimensions of temperament, F (20,418.84) = 2.71, p < 0.001, Wilks’s lambda 0.67, and in the dimensions of character, F (12,344.24) = 3.27, p < 0.001, Wilks’s lambda is 0.75. Socialized conduct disorder is characterized by low selfdirectedness and average cooperativeness. Adolescents in conflict with the law have the lowest persistence, together with low self-directedness and cooperativeness. Adolescents abusing psychoactive substances have low harm avoidance and self-transcendence. Adolescents with Internet addiction are characterized by high novelty seeking (impulsivity and curiosity), low self-directedness and the lowest cooperativeness. The results show that the dimensions of personality can play an important role in etiopathogenesis of various disorders in adolescents.

Health care professionals' attitudes regarding palliative care for patients with chronic heart failure: an interview study.

PubMed

Ziehm, Jeanette; Farin, Erik; Seibel, Katharina; Becker, Gerhild; Köberich, Stefan

2016-08-15

Even though struggling with similar symptom burden, patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) receive less palliative care than patients suffering from malignant diseases. Researchers have found that this might be related to lack of knowledge about palliative care, insufficient interprofessional communication as well as the cyclic course of disease which makes accurate prognosis difficult. However, research findings have shown that patients with CHF benefit from palliative care. As there are no studies for the German health care system this study aimed to assess health care professionals' attitudes regarding palliative care of CHF patients in order to identify barriers and facilitators for this patient group and hence to develop recommendations for improvement of CHF patients' access to palliative care in Germany. Problem-centered interviews with 23 health care professionals involved in care of CHF patients (nurses: hospital, outpatient, heart failure, PC; physicians: hospital and resident cardiologists, general practitioners) were conducted and analysed according to Mayring's qualitative content analysis. Most interviewees perceived a need for palliative care for CHF patients. Regarding barriers patients', public's, and professionals' lack of knowledge of palliative care and CHF; shortcomings in communication and cooperation of different professional groups; inability of cardiology to accept medical limits; difficult prognosis of course of disease; and patients' concerns regarding palliative care were described. Different attitudes regarding appropriate time of initiation of palliative care for CHF patients (late vs. early) were found. Furthermore, better communication and closer cooperation between different professional groups and medical disciplines as well as better education about palliative care and CHF for professionals, patients, and public were cited. Palliative care for CHF patients is a neglected topic in both practice and research and should receive more attention. Barriers to palliative care for CHF patients might be overcome by: better education for the public, patients, and professionals, closer cooperation between the different professional groups involved as well as development of a joint agreement regarding the appropriate time to administer palliative care to CHF patients. DRKS00007119 .

Group Rewards Make Groupwork Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slavin, Robert E.

1991-01-01

Critiques Kohn's article (in the same "Educational Leadership" issue) arguing against the use of cooperative rewards. Without group rewards based on the learning of all group members, cooperative learning can degenerate into answer-sharing. The idea that such rewards (usually paper certificates) can be dispensed with is wishful thinking. Includes…

77 FR 17569 - United States-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC)-Transportation-Dangerous Goods Working...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-26

... identified in the Joint Action Plan, the Transportation--Dangerous Goods Working Group led by senior...)-- Transportation--Dangerous Goods Working Group AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration...--Dangerous Goods Working Group, of the United States-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC). Comments...

Fostering Cooperative Learning in Middle and Secondary Level Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Karen D.

1987-01-01

Provides a brief overview of the research on cooperative learning, and describes several classroom grouping techniques useful for all grade levels and subject areas. Discusses group retellings, associational dialogue, dyadic learning, needs grouping, the buddy system, cybernetic sessions, and research, interest, ability, tutorial, random social,…

Cooperation in the dark: signalling and collective action in quorum-sensing bacteria.

PubMed

Brown, S P; Johnstone, R A

2001-05-07

The study of quorum-sensing bacteria has revealed a widespread mechanism of coordinating bacterial gene expression with cell density. By monitoring a constitutively produced signal molecule, individual bacteria can limit their expression of group-beneficial phenotypes to cell densities that guarantee an effective group outcome. In this paper, we attempt to move away from a commonly expressed view that these impressive feats of coordination are examples of multicellularity in prokaryotic populations. Here, we look more closely at the individual conflict underlying this cooperation, illustrating that, even under significant levels of genetic conflict, signalling and resultant cooperative behaviour can stably exist. A predictive two-trait model of signal strength and of the extent of cooperation is developed as a function of relatedness (reflecting multiplicity of infection) and basic population demographic parameters. The model predicts that the strength of quorum signalling will increase as conflict (multiplicity of infecting strains) increases, as individuals attempt to coax more cooperative contributions from their competitors, leading to a devaluation of the signal as an indicator of density. Conversely, as genetic conflict increases, the model predicts that the threshold density for cooperation will increase and the subsequent strength of group cooperation will be depressed.

Small groups and long memories promote cooperation.

PubMed

Stewart, Alexander J; Plotkin, Joshua B

2016-06-01

Complex social behaviors lie at the heart of many of the challenges facing evolutionary biology, sociology, economics, and beyond. For evolutionary biologists the question is often how group behaviors such as collective action, or decision making that accounts for memories of past experience, can emerge and persist in an evolving system. Evolutionary game theory provides a framework for formalizing these questions and admitting them to rigorous study. Here we develop such a framework to study the evolution of sustained collective action in multi-player public-goods games, in which players have arbitrarily long memories of prior rounds of play and can react to their experience in an arbitrary way. We construct a coordinate system for memory-m strategies in iterated n-player games that permits us to characterize all cooperative strategies that resist invasion by any mutant strategy, and stabilize cooperative behavior. We show that, especially when groups are small, longer-memory strategies make cooperation easier to evolve, by increasing the number of ways to stabilize cooperation. We also explore the co-evolution of behavior and memory. We find that even when memory has a cost, longer-memory strategies often evolve, which in turn drives the evolution of cooperation, even when the benefits for cooperation are low.

The International Research Training Group on "Brain-Behavior Relationship of Normal and Disturbed Emotions in Schizophrenia and Autism" as an Example of German-American Cooperation in Doctoral Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Frank; Gur, Ruben C.

2008-01-01

The International Research Training Group "Brain-Behavior Relationship of Normal and Disturbed Emotions in Schizophrenia and Autism" (IRTG 1328), funded by the German Research Council (DFG), is a German-American cooperation. Its major aims are interdisciplinary and international scientific cooperation and the support of young scientists…

In Defense of the Vendors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irwin, G. Brockett

1975-01-01

The problems that are encountered when cooperation breaks down between the industrial source operator and the pollution control equipment vendor are examined. The focal point of this examination is the study of defenses available to the equipment vendor when industrial source operators refuse to cooperate. (Author/BT)