Science of Standing In Line: Who Goes First?

We stand in line at stores and for events, but how often are we willing to cooperate to move the line along faster? When faced with one-shot interactions, strangers are often not motivated to help out, even when receiving a favor in return. 

German researchers Florian Lange and Frank Eggert, of the Department of Research Methods and Biopsychology at the Technische Universität Braunschweig, examined a situation all too familiar with most people - waiting in line. They observed customers' behavior while standing in line at the supermarket to shed light on what factors are incorporated in cooperation, such as letting someone else go ahead of them, between strangers in one-time interactions.

The study found that two variables play into the behavior: the cost-to-benefit ratio of the helpful act, and the image the customers have of the opposite individual, according to a news release. Their findings were published in Springer's journal, Human Nature.

Lange and Eggert used a field experiment that had two male subjects line up for checkout at the supermarket on 60 occasions, each carrying only one item that was clearly visible to other customers. In 30 of the cases, they carrying a bottle of water to the line, while in the other 30, a bottle of beer - with the order of these items being randomized and an independent observer monitoring the interactions.

Their findings showed that the other customers were more willing to cooperate if the recipient of their cooperation could save a significant amount of waiting time. In other words, the potential helpers were more willing to cooperate if the benefits from the cooperation were relatively large in comparison to the cost of helping. The potential helpers guaged this by perceiving whether or not they thought the person receiving the help was more likely to pass on the help to others waiting in line.

Interestingly, the customers were shown to be more reluctant to help the subjects when they were carrying a bottle of beer than a bottle of water. According to previous research, people often perceive beer drinkers as lazy and irresponsible, which led Lange and Eggert to believe that others thought they'd be less likely to pass on the favor. This brought them to the conclusion that the costumers' perception of others often times determines whether or not they help.

The researchers admit that further research is necessary to fully examine human cooperation, but that this led to a better understanding of how and why cooperation between strangers follows a model of reciprocity.

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