Exploitative and Deceptive Resource Acquisition Strategies

Abstract

Life history strategy (LHS) and life history contingencies (LHCs) should theoretically influence the use of exploitative and deceptive resource acquisition strategies. However, little research has been done in this area. The purpose of the present work was to create measures of exploitative strategies and test the predictions of life history theory. Pilot studies developed and validated a behavioral measure of cheating called the Dot Game. The role of individual LHS and LHCs (manipulated via validated story primes) on cheating was investigated in Study 1. Studies 2a through 2c were conducted to develop and validate a self-report measure called the Exploitative and Deceptive Resource Acquisition Strategy Scale (EDRASS). Finally, Study 3 investigated life history and EDRASS. Results indicated that while LHS influences exploitative strategies, life history contingences had little effect. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Life History Theory and Exploitative Strategies

“…We also used samples of different ages to determine whether LHCs only influence younger individuals. Reynolds and McCrea (2015) used older samples, which may explain why they did not observe effects of LHCs.…”

“…Each item of the EDRASS asks participants to imagine a scenario, which contains an exploitative behavior, and then rate how tempted they are to engage in the behavior. Reynolds and McCrea (2015) theorized that a fast LHS and the environmental conditions that lead to the evolution and developmental of a fast LHS (e.g., high mortality and unpredictability) should be related to greater use of exploitive strategies. This was tested in two experiments, one using the Dot Game and the other using the EDRASS.…”

“…To strengthen the manipulations used by Reynolds and McCrea (2015), participants in the present studies were asked to imagine the scenario and put themselves in that situation. They were also asked to answer the exploitative questions based on how they would feel in that situation (see also Dunkel & Mathes, 2011).…”

“…However, some of the items used to indicate resource exploitation may have been better indicators of delinquency than of exploitation (e.g., trespassing). Recent work by Reynolds and McCrea (2015) focused on developing measures of exploitative strategies: a behavioral measure called the Dot Game and a self-report measure called the Exploitative and Deceptive Resource Acquisition Strategy Scale (EDRASS).…”

“…Thus, there are contexts that result in the evolution and development of a slow LHS and other contexts that result in the evolution and development of a fast LHS. The environmental contingencies theorized to be relevant to the evolution and development of LHS are referred to collectively as life history contingencies (LHCs; Reynolds & McCrea, 2015).…”