On the social nature of personality: Effects of extraversion, agreeableness, and feedback about collective resource use on cooperation in a resource dilemma

The present research investigated how individual differences in Extraversio n and Agreeableness affect cooperation in an experimental resource dilemma. Manipulated feedback indicated either that the common resource was being w ed at a sustainable rate or that it was being rapidly depleted. As predicte d, Extraversion was generally negatively related to cooperation, whereas Ag reeableness was generally positively related to cooperation. Whereas indivi duals high in Extraversion and individuals low in Agreeableness were unresp onsive to feedback regarding collective resource we, individuals low in Ext raversion and individuals high in Agreeableness exercised more self-restrai nt when the common resource was severely threatened. Exploratory analyses r evealed neither interactive effects of Extraversion and Agreeableness nor e ffects of individual differences in Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Intellect. Together, these results highlight the importance of individ ual differences in Extraversion and Agreeableness in, social dilemma settin gs.