Abstract

A resource dilemma, a special case of a social dilemma, simulates a situation in which a group of individuals can "harvest" resources from a common resource pool. But if they overharvest from the common pool, the pool can become "extinct". Thus, each member's decision must consider the future level of the pool as well as the current level. The effects of impression management were investigated in a resource dilemma situation. Groups of four subjects (undergraduate students) were asked to harvest points from a replenishable resource pool. Two factors were crossed in a factorial design: group membership (ingroup vs outgroup membership) and feedback type (individual vs aggregated group level). The primary dependent measure was mean group harvest. Results showed that the two-way interaction effect was significant. Subjects of the groups composed of out-group members harvested more when feedback information was presented in the aggregated group level than when it was presented in the individual level. The results were discussed in the cultural psychological perspectives.