A　sense　of　resource　availability　creates　a　scarcity　mindset,　leading　people　to　behave　in　a　more　competitive　way　instead　of　in　a　collaborative　way.　This　study　aims　to　examine　the　relationship　between　scarcity　mindset　and　cooperative　behaviors　among　parents　and　offspring,　and　to　explore　whether　parents＇　scarcity　mindset　is　related　to　their　offspring＇s　scarcity　mindset　and　cooperative　behaviors.　We　collected　239　parent–offspring　pairs　from　several　universities　in　northwest　China.　They　completed　the　scarcity　mindset　scale　and　a　one-shot　public　good　game　(PGG).　A　path　model　analysis　was　conducted　to　examine　the　relationship　between　scarcity　mindset　and　cooperative　behaviors　for　offspring　and　their　parents,　respectively.　The　relationship　between　parental　scarcity　mindset　and　offspring＇s　cooperative　behaviors　was　also　examined.　The　results　showed　that　there　was　a　high　correlation　of　scarcity　mindset　between　parents　and　their　offspring.　Scarcity　mindset　was　negatively　related　to　cooperative　behaviors　among　both　parents　and　offspring.　In　addition,　both　parents＇　cooperative　behaviors　and　offspring＇s　scarcity　mindset　mediated　the　relationship　between　the　parental　scarcity　mindset　and　offspring＇s　cooperative　behaviors.　Our　results　supported　the　idea　that　scarcity　mindset　triggers　competitive　rather　than　cooperative　orientation.　The　present　findings　reveal　an　intergenerational　relationship　between　scarcity　mindset　and　cooperative　behaviors　by　highlighting　the　impacts　of　parental　scarcity　mindset　on　that　of　their　offspring＇s　and　its　additional　effects　on　offspring＇s　cooperative　behaviors.　©　2023　Institute　of　Psychology,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences　and　John　Wiley　&　Sons　Australia,　Ltd.