Of Coordinators and Dictators: A Public Goods Experiment

Games

Jürgen Fleiß¹ 

[1] Institute of Statistics and Operations Research, University of Graz, Universitätsstrasse 15, 8010 Graz, Austria; E-Mail:

关键词: allocator;    public goods game;    self-selection;    institution choice;    power;   

DOI  :  10.3390/g4040584

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

We experimentally investigate whether human subjects are willing to give up individual freedom in return for the benefits of improved coordination. We conduct a modified iterated public goods game in which subjects in each period first decide which of two groups to join. One group employs a voluntary contribution mechanism, the other group an allocator contribution mechanism. The setup of the allocator mechanism differs between two treatments. In the coordinator treatment, the randomly selected allocator can set a uniform contribution for all group members, including herself. In the dictator treatment, the allocator can choose different contributions for herself and all other group members. We find that subjects willingly submit to authority in both treatments, even when competing with a voluntary contribution mechanism. The allocator groups achieve high contribution levels in both treatments.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.