In this dissertation, I focus on the question on how to resolve or reduce conflict, and specifically, on how to dissuade an attacking party from aggression. To this end, I introduced peaceful... Show moreIn this dissertation, I focus on the question on how to resolve or reduce conflict, and specifically, on how to dissuade an attacking party from aggression. To this end, I introduced peaceful alternatives for wealth generation to dyadic and intergroup attacker-defender contests, investigating how such opportunities impact conflict dynamics and outcomes. Across multiple projects, I studied the effects of production opportunities, the application of resource transfers in conflict resolution, and the effects of economic uncertainty on intergroup conflict. My results demonstrate that such alternatives can be effective in reducing attacker aggression and conflict, that both parties benefit from the reduction of conflict, and yet, that attackers benefit disproportionately due their ability to allocate resources more flexibly between conflict and outside options. Overall, this research makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on conflict (management) by providing both theory and empirical evidence for the effectiveness of peaceful alternatives for wealth generation in dissuading aggression and conflict, but also reveals some unexpected consequences, such as the disproportionate benefits for attackers, that must be addressed to create truly equitable and successful conflict resolution. Show less
Despite decades of research from psychology, anthropology, biology and economics, how social preferences arise and vary across contexts remains an open question. In three empirical chapters, this... Show moreDespite decades of research from psychology, anthropology, biology and economics, how social preferences arise and vary across contexts remains an open question. In three empirical chapters, this dissertation addresses this gap using a variety of economic games and neuroimaging techniques that allow for a tractable modeling of cooperation and competition. Overall, findings suggest that while social preferences are linked to neural structure, they can also adapt to environmental factors as well as beliefs about interaction partners. This doctoral thesis shows that interacting with ingroup or outgroup members, taking decisions publicly or privately, and knowing whether we may interact with others again affect our cooperative behavior. These results highlight the importance of understanding how prosociality may be altered and lay the foundations for policy makers to further those social environments that encourage prosocial behavior. Show less
