RESUMO
Cooperation and competition shape everyday human interactions and impact individuals' chances of success in different domains. Using a virtual Stroop test, classically employed to assess general cognitive interference, we examined the impact of social context (cooperation and competition) and other's ability (higher and lower performers) on performance, perceived stress, and autonomic activity. In Experiment 1, we found that both cooperation with a lower performer and competition with a higher performer led to similar enhancement in performance. However, only competition with a more skilled opponent induced an increase in perceived stress and physiological activity. Experiment 2 further demonstrated that these effects persisted even with prolonged exposure to these contexts. In summary, cooperation can be just as effective as competition in improving individuals' performance. However, cooperation does not carry the same level of stress and physiological burden as the competitive context, representing a healthier and more optimal way to boost individual performance.
RESUMO
Artificial intelligence has witnessed exponential growth in the past decade. Advances in computing power and the design of sophisticated artificial intelligence algorithms have enabled computers to outperform humans in a variety of tasks. Yet, artificial intelligence's path has never been smooth, having essentially fallen apart twice in its lifetime after periods of popular success. We provide a brief rundown of artificial intelligence's evolution, highlighting its crucial moments and major turning points from inception to the present. In doing so, we attempt to learn, anticipate the future, and discuss what steps may be taken to prevent another winter.