In a study, 138 students played multiple rounds of the game on a computer that was programmed to defect at specific points during the more than 30 rounds of the game but they thought they were playing with a student via a computer in another room.
Those participants who experienced the immediate breaches of trust had the most negative evaluations of their partners and were also the least likely to cooperate at the end of the game, suggesting they had the least trust in their partners.
However, participants who experienced a trust breach latest in the game showed the most cooperation at the end of the game.
In all of the cases, the computer defected against the participants the same number of times, but the timing of the breaches was the key.
Study results showed that an immediate breach of trust was particularly difficult to overcome and that they seriously damage the impressions people have about their partners while the later breaches were considerably less harmful.
Those participants who experienced the immediate breaches of trust had the most negative evaluations of their partners and were also the least likely to cooperate at the end of the game, suggesting they had the least trust in their partners.
However, participants who experienced a trust breach latest in the game showed the most cooperation at the end of the game.
In all of the cases, the computer defected against the participants the same number of times, but the timing of the breaches was the key.
Study results showed that an immediate breach of trust was particularly difficult to overcome and that they seriously damage the impressions people have about their partners while the later breaches were considerably less harmful.