Citation

van Lange PAM, Van Doesum NJ. Curr. Opin. Behav. Sci. 2015; 3: 18-24.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.cobeha.2014.12.009

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Economic games often assume that people see what the other wants, and that cooperation brings about substantial costs. We examine social mindfulness and social hostility, relatively non-costly actions, that require a social mind, and that may have profound effects on others. Four propositions delineate the causes, workings, and consequences of social mindfulness and social hostility. The broad take-home message is that it often takes only a small gesture to promote and perhaps restore trust and cooperation (social mindfulness) or an equally small gesture to signal the wish to keep distance or spite the other (social hostility). Either way, it is not only outcomes that matter, but also the thought that counts.