PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Crying wolf: Who benefits and when?

2013-10-28
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Tracy James
traljame@iu.edu
812-855-0084
Indiana University
Crying wolf: Who benefits and when? BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A crisis at work can bring out the best in colleagues, often inspiring more cooperation and self-sacrifice. A new study from Indiana University and the University of Guelphhas found that the benefits are not shared equally, with higher-ranking group members having the most to gain by perceived threats to the group.

"Sociologists have known for a long time that groups tend to come together when they face adversity," said social psychologist Stephen Benard, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at IU Bloomington. "What our research highlights is that there is a downside to our tendency to stick together when things are tough -- powerful group members can exploit that tendency to distract us from competing with them."

The study, "Who cries wolf, and when? Manipulation of perceived threats to preserve rank in cooperative groups," was published in the online journal Proceedings of the Library of Science One in September. Pat Barclay, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at University of Guelph in Canada is the co-author.

Benard and Barclay tested their theories by creating three-person groups and having them play a cooperative group game in which people could pay money to increase the perception of threat to their group. They found that people with higher-ranking positions paid more to manipulate the threat and the action helped maintain their privileged positions.

"With this approach, we find people in high-ranking positions are more likely to manipulate apparent threats when their position is precarious, compared to when it is secure," Benard said.

But this doesn't mean the next crisis at work is a ploy by the boss to boost her job security. Social science predictions involve the average person, in general, not specific people or situations.

"When groups face potential threats, it's important to judge those threats carefully," Benard said. "On one hand, you want to be alert to the fact that other group members might have an incentive to exaggerate the threat. On the other hand, it's also important not to underestimate threats that could be real.

### The study, found at http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0073863, was supported by the National Science Foundation in conjunction with the Minerva Initiative of the U.S. department of Defense and the Cornell University Institute for Social Sciences.

To speak with Benard, contact Tracy James at 812-855-0084 and traljame@iu.edu.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New imaging research shows increased iron in the brain in earliest stages of MS

2013-10-28
New imaging research shows increased iron in the brain in earliest stages of MS VIDEO: As Western University scientist Ravi Menon, Ph.D., explains, it's ...

Discovery could lead to anti-clotting drugs with less risk of bleeding

2013-10-28
Discovery could lead to anti-clotting drugs with less risk of bleeding Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered a molecular switch that causes small, beneficial clots that stop bleeding to enlarge further during wound healing. ...

GVSU study on gender: Who counts as a man and who counts as a woman

2013-10-28
GVSU study on gender: Who counts as a man and who counts as a woman ALLENDALE, Mich. — Gender is no longer determined solely by biological factors, according to a new study by a Grand Valley State University researcher whose article, "Doing Gender, Determining ...

Chewing their way to success

2013-10-28
Chewing their way to success How mice and rats developed a unique masticatory apparatus making them evolutionary champions The subfamily of rodents known as Murinae (mice, rats, etc.), which first appeared in Asia 12 million years ago, spread ...

'Designer' sedative may provide new alternative for colonoscopy

2013-10-28
'Designer' sedative may provide new alternative for colonoscopy Remimazolam combines good sedation with fast onset and recovery San Francisco, CA. (October 28, 2013) – Developed using molecular-level techniques, the "designer" sedative drug remimazolam ...

Young fibromyalgia patients report worse symptoms than older patients, Mayo Clinic study shows

2013-10-28
Young fibromyalgia patients report worse symptoms than older patients, Mayo Clinic study shows Research is among several Mayo studies being presented at American College of Rheumatology meeting SAN DIEGO -- It may seem counterintuitive, but young and middle-aged fibromyalgia ...

Researchers discover how cancer 'invisibility cloak' works

2013-10-28
Researchers discover how cancer 'invisibility cloak' works Lipid secreted by tumors inhibits immune response against cancer Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered how a lipid secreted by cancer tumors prevents the immune system from mounting ...

Reproductive biologists move in vitro fertilization knowledge forward

2013-10-28
Reproductive biologists move in vitro fertilization knowledge forward 2 new papers from reproductive biologists at UMass Amherst report advances in understanding the basic processes of sperm capacitation that may one day improve IVF success by ...

Bumps in the road to developing long-lasting, single-injection nerve blocks

2013-10-28
Bumps in the road to developing long-lasting, single-injection nerve blocks A study of liposomal bupivacaine gives encouraging -- but puzzling -- results San Francisco, CA. (October 28, 2013) – Can a new liposomal bupivacaine product provide long-lasting ...

Study of Brazilian Amazon shows 50,000 km of road was built in just 3 years

2013-10-28
Study of Brazilian Amazon shows 50,000 km of road was built in just 3 years Nearly 17,000 kilometres of road were built in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest every year between 2004 and 2007. Although road-building is a major contributor to deforestation ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Transnational electoral participation of undocumented Mexican immigrants in the US

A new method to build more energy-efficient memory devices for a sustainable data future

Freely levitating rotor spins out ultraprecise sensors for classical and quantum physics

‘Chinese lantern’ structure shifts into more than a dozen shapes for various applications

Towards light-controlled electronic components

Tiny architects, titanic climate impact: scientists call for October 10 to become International Coccolithophore Day

Stress sensitivity makes suicidal thoughts more extreme and persistent among the university population

Lessons from Ascension’s shark troubles could help boost conservation

Fire provides long-lasting benefits to bird populations in Sierra Nevada National Parks

Menstrual cycle affects women’s reaction time but not as much as being active

Housing associations more effective than government in supporting unemployed in deprived areas

Biochar helps composting go greener by cutting greenhouse gas emissions

Ulrich named president-elect of the AACI

Multitasking makes you more likely to fall for phishing emails

Researchers solve model that can improve sustainable design, groundwater management, nuclear waste storage, and more

Parched soils can spark hot drought a nation away

Uncovering new physics in metals manufacturing

Sped-up evolution may help bacteria take hold in gut microbiome, UCLA-led research team finds

The dose-dependent effects of dissolved biochar on C. elegans: Insights into the physiological and transcriptomic responses

New research reveals genetic link to most common pediatric bone cancer

Research conducted during 2024 eclipse reveals importance of light on bird behavior

Why does female fertility decline so fast? The key is the ovary

Total solar eclipse triggers dawn behavior in birds

Europe’s largest bats hunt and eat migrating birds on the wing, high in the sky

China’s emerging AI regulation could foster an open and safe future for AI

The secret to naked mole-rat’s longevity: Enhanced DNA repair

Acidic tumor environment promotes survival and growth of cancer cells

New biosensor tracks plants’ immune hormone in real time

New study finds gaps in REDD+ forest carbon offsets with most overstating climate impacts

Mystery solved: How Europe’s largest bat catches and eats passerines mid-air

[Press-News.org] Crying wolf: Who benefits and when?