The need principle in social dilemmas

This study examined the effects of own need and partner need for a resource on cooperative behavior in a social dilemma. Based on Deutsch's (1975) need principle, it was hypothesized that (a) participants in cohesive groups would make smaller withdrawals when their partners had high need for the resource than when their partners had low need for the resource; and (b) participants with high own need would make similar withdrawals as those in the low own need condition. Own need for a resource was manipulated by creating either high thirst (participants ate spicy chips with salsa) or low thirst (participants drank Gatorade). Partner need was manipulated by telling participants that their partner had either high thirst the or she ate spicy chips with salsa) or low thirst the or she drank Gatorade). Group cohesion was created by having participants discuss and solve a winter survival problem, and providing success feedback. Participants withdrew gallons of water from a simulated community water well. The amount of water each participant acquired at the end of the trials was converted to a corresponding amount of a soft drink. The hypothesis was supported. Additional findings showed that participants who had the greatest need for the resource perceived their partner as being more honest, trustworthy, and responsible than those who had low need for the resource. The findings support the need principle. Future research should examine how individual and structural variables influence the emergence and influence of the need norm.