Older Adults Show Diminished Sensitivity to Potential Losses in Social Bargaining

Objectives: Leaders in many organizations are older adults who routinely make decisions in social bargaining situations. However, we know little about the age-related differences in strategic decision making. 

Methods: In the current study (n = 182), using a modified Prisoner's Dilemma game (PDG), we examined two important intrinsic motivations for non-cooperation: fear of betrayal and greedy desire to exploit other people among young and older Chinese Singaporeans. 

Results: Results showed that compared with young adults, older adults demonstrated an intact greed motive but a diminished fear motive in the PDG. 

Discussion: Our findings suggest a diminished sensitivity to social threat or potential losses due to betrayal in older adults' social decision making. Older adults may have a declined ability to assess social threats even though they retain the motivation to gain an exploitive advantage.