2381/37754 Eva M. Krockow Eva M. Krockow Andrew M. Colman Andrew M. Colman Briony D. Pulford Briony D. Pulford Exploring cooperation and competition in the Centipede game through verbal protocol analysis University of Leicester 2016 Centipede game verbal protocols Social value orientation cooperation Theory of Mind 2016-06-14 12:41:00 Journal contribution https://figshare.le.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Exploring_cooperation_and_competition_in_the_Centipede_game_through_verbal_protocol_analysis/10175906 The Centipede game is an abstract model of reciprocal relationships where two individuals alternate in helping each other at relatively small personal cost. Whereas mutual cooperation can benefit both individuals in the long run, a paradoxical but logically compelling backward induction argument shows that cooperation is irrational. Empirical studies have reported reliable deviations from the non-cooperative backward induction solution, but their exclusively quantitative methods allow only a limited range of predefined motives to be explored. Our study uses verbal (‘think aloud’) protocols and qualitative data analysis to identify motives for cooperation in the Centipede game. The results provide little evidence for sophisticated backward induction reasoning. Instead, a wide range of motives emerged, their relative saliences varying according to the stage of the game. Activity bias affected decisions mainly at the beginning of the game, whereas cooperative and altruistic social value orientations most frequently accounted for cooperation towards its natural end.