How to Detect Altruists: Experiments Using a Zero-Acquaintance Video Presentation Paradigm

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the cognitive processes and nonverbal cues used to detect altruism in three experiments based on a zero-acquaintance video presentation paradigm. Cognitive mechanisms of altruism detection are thought to have evolved in humans to prevent subtle cheating. Several studies have demonstrated that people can correctly estimate levels of altruism in others. In this study, we asked participants to distinguish altruists from non-altruists in video clips using the Faith game. Participants decided whether they could trust allocation of money to the targets who were videotaped while talking to the experimenter. In our first experiment, we asked the participants to play the Faith game under cognitive load. The accuracy of altruism detection was not reduced when participants simultaneously performed a cognitive task, suggesting that altruist detection is rapid and effortless. In the second experiment, we investigated the effects of affective status on the accuracy of altruism detection. Compared with participants in a positive mood, those in a negative mood were more hesitant to trust videotaped targets. However, the accuracy with which altruism levels were detected did not change when we manipulated participants’ moods. In the third experiment, we investigated the facial cues by which participants detected altruists. Participants could not detect altruists when the upper half of the target’s face was hidden, suggesting that judgment cues exist around the eyes. We also conducted a meta-analysis on the effect size in each experimental condition to verify the robustness of altruism detection ability.

Men with high dark triad personality traits can accurately infer dark triad traits from other people’s faces

“…For example, Brown et al (2003) showed that people can detect altruists based on nonverbal cues. Oda et al (2009 , 2021) obtained similar results using 30-s video clips of natural conversations between Japanese individuals. After watching the video clips without sound, the participants correctly estimated the target individual’s level of altruism.…”

Predicting Trustworthiness Across Cultures: An Experiment

“…Clearly, this argument also applies to other components of nonverbal communication, such as gestures and body language. However, the previous studies-including those mentioned above (the study by Centorrino et al, 2015, is a notable exception), as well as the later contributions by, e.g., Van Leeuwen et al (2018) and Oda et al (2021)-are typically based on visual stimuli which are strongly dissociated from the social context in which the predicted target behavior (i.e., detection of certain facets of cooperativeness, such as altruism, trustworthiness, reciprocity) occurs. This is either because the visual stimuli used therein only consist of a neutral mugshot picture (like in our first control condition-PHOTO) or a neutral video recording with made-up content (like in our second control condition-neutral video, henceforth VIDNE) 1 .…”

Deciding Who Is Worthy of Help: Effect of the Probability of Reciprocity on Individuals’ Willingness to Help Others

“…While this does not account for all the structures of the mind, some can be hypothesized and tested from an evolutionary standpoint. Indeed, research has shown that humans possess various cognitive functions adapted for positive assortment, such as the detection of cheaters and altruists (e.g., Cosmides,1989 ; Cosmides & Tooby, 1992 ; Oda et al, 2009 ; Oda et al, 2021 ), as well as memory biases enabling people to more accurately recall the face of a cheater compared to a non-cheater (e.g., Oda & Nakajima, 2010 ). Many of our emotions might also have evolved as adaptations to the positive assortment ( Trivers, 1971 ).…”