Empathy, Altruism, and the Moral Commitment Problem. Findings from a Prisoner's Dilemma Study

Cooperation is the cornerstone of human social life, essential for survival in complex groups. Yet individuals often face the temptation to pursue short-term self-interest over long-term cooperation—a challenge known as the moral commitment problem. In many situations, external enforcement is absent or insufficient. This study examines evolved social preferences—empathy and altruism—as internal mechanisms facilitating cooperation. Using a one-shot, anonymous Prisoner’s Dilemma, we found that most participants choose conditional cooperation based on trust, even in a one-time setting. Empathy and altruism significantly influence decisions, with effects varying by cost-sensitivity and sex. Individuals with strong empathic concern and medium-cost altruism are more likely to choose the “sucker” option, cooperating despite exploitation risk. While empathy and altruism promote cooperation, they can increase vulnerability to suboptimal outcomes. Overall, social preferences may act as commitment devices supporting sustained human cooperation, though the design captures only a limited aspect of complex social interactions.