The cooperative effects on the polarizability tensor are analyzed by means of the IPPP-CLOPPA approach. The decomposition of the polarizability allows classifying these effects in those due to changes in the geometric structure and those that directly involve the transmission mechanisms. This latter contribution admits a further classification, taking into account its electronic origin. As suitable examples, cooperative effects on the polarizability tensor of linear complexes (CNH)(N) and (H(2)O)(N) (N = 2, 3, 4) are discussed.