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Cooperative behavior and institutions

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  • Vatn, Arild

Abstract

The persistent observation of cooperative behavior in situations where defecting would be individually preferable challenges the standard hypothesis of individual utility maximization. This has advanced search for alternative ways of understanding choice. Proposals dominantly include expanding the kind of arguments to be included into the utility function. The paper identifies some pertinent problems with these explanations. An alternative model based on the idea of plural rationality and institutions-as-rationality-context is developed. The model is confronted with data from existing experiments. Implications for public policy and ideas for further research are emphasized.

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  • Vatn, Arild, 2009. "Cooperative behavior and institutions," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 188-196, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:38:y:2009:i:1:p:188-196
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    7. Goytom Abraha Kahsay & Workineh Asmare Kassie & Abebe Damte Beyene & Lars Gårn Hansen, 2017. "Do public works programs crowd-out pro-environmental behavior? Empirical evidence from food-for-work programs in Ethiopia," IFRO Working Paper 2017/13, University of Copenhagen, Department of Food and Resource Economics.
    8. Aasen, Marianne & Vatn, Arild, 2018. "Public Attitudes Toward Climate Policies: The Effect of Institutional Contexts and Political Values," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 106-114.
    9. Meyer, Claas & Chen, Cheng & Matzdorf, Bettina, 2018. "Qualitative comparative institutional analysis of environmental governance: Implications from research on payments for ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 34(PB), pages 169-180.
    10. Eduardo Zambrano & Patrick Holder, 2018. "Public Economies and the Endogenous Choice of Institutions," Homo Oeconomicus: Journal of Behavioral and Institutional Economics, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 185-206, September.
    11. Vatn, Arild, 2009. "An institutional analysis of methods for environmental appraisal," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(8-9), pages 2207-2215, June.
    12. Meyer, Claas & Matzdorf, Bettina & Müller, Klaus & Schleyer, Christian, 2014. "Cross Compliance as payment for public goods? Understanding EU and US agricultural policies," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 185-194.
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    14. Pienaar, Elizabeth F. & Jarvis, Lovell S. & Larson, Douglas M., 2014. "Using a choice experiment framework to value conservation-contingent development programs: An application to Botswana," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 39-48.
    15. Yanez-Pagans, Patricia, 2013. "Cash for Cooperation? Payments for Ecosystem Services and Common Property Management in Mexico," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 151295, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    16. Grillos, Tara, 2017. "Economic vs non-material incentives for participation in an in-kind payments for ecosystem services program in Bolivia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 178-190.
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