The SSoC Lab

In the Sociological Study of Cooperation (SSoC) Lab, we explore how people work together (or don’t work together) and how cooperation is possible in the groups and communities to which they belong. Led by Dr. Ashley Harrell at Duke University, we study the social and social-psychological forces that shape cooperation, collective action, and social order.

We’re especially interested in how everyday interactions (like sharing resources, making decisions together, or enforcing group norms) can build trust and influence bigger outcomes. We primarily use experiments and data-driven methodologies to answer questions like: How does group size affect cooperation? What role do leaders play in setting group norms? How do differences in power or resources shape generosity? Our overarching goal is to understand how cooperation works—and how it can be strengthened in diverse, complex social settings.

You can see and access our published papers here. Data from our projects are available on the Open Science Framework.

If you’re a Duke undergraduate student interested in being a Research Assistant in the lab, please go here for more and to apply!