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Is cooperation instinctive? Evidence from the response times in a public goods game

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  • Gianna Lotito
  • Matteo Migheli
  • Guido Ortona

Abstract

We use data on response times from a public goods experiment to test the hypothesis that cooperation is instinctive, under the assumption that the longer the time of the decision, the less instinctive the choice. Results seem to support the hypothesis that cooperation is instinctive, while defection is ‘rational’. Moreover, as the experiment is designed also to assess the effects of the consumption of relational goods on cooperation, we are also able to state that some types of relational goods, like team working, produce additional cooperation, but make it less spontaneous. We also detect that females seem to behave less instinctively than males. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Gianna Lotito & Matteo Migheli & Guido Ortona, 2013. "Is cooperation instinctive? Evidence from the response times in a public goods game," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 123-133, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbioec:v:15:y:2013:i:2:p:123-133
    DOI: 10.1007/s10818-012-9141-5
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Response times; Cooperation; Public goods experiments; Gender effect; C91; D03; H41;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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