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A study published earlier this month in the journal Science Advances examines the effects of onymity – that is, the opposite of anonymity – on Chinese students in a classic two-player social experiment in which the most rational choice is betrayal. What researchers found, however, seems to defy rationality: Participants who learned each other's names opted for cooperation over treachery.
In an age marked by xenophobia and political polarization, studying onymity may offer insight into practical ways of helping strangers get along. This particular study suggests that even small steps toward getting to know one another can bring big benefits for society as a whole, whether it's in a town hall meeting, on a jammed roadway, or in an online discussion forum.
"Since the spirit of cooperation that social cohesion is based upon is crumbling away in some places, be it on Facebook or in societies that are about to be torn apart about issues such as immigration, we sought insight into what enhances cooperation," said co-author Jürgen Kurths from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany, who contributed statistical analyses, in a statement.
No self-respecting geek would ever cooperate with others.
(Score: 2) by Pino P on Thursday April 27 2017, @04:12PM
Giving people your identity just enables them to mess with you
The Monitor article doesn't mention whether a true full legal name enhances cooperation more than a plausible-sounding pseudonym. But the Science Advances article clarifies it:
Thus it raises the question of whether pseudonymity is enough. So if you know me as Pino, and I know you as Luina or Sean or Becca or Nethil or some other plausible name, with some plausible fictional biography behind it, further study is required as to whether that would be enough to trigger onymous cooperation without leading to identity fraud or physical assault threats.