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Inequity and risk aversion in sequential public good games

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  • Sabrina Teyssier

Abstract

This paper analyzes which type of intrinsic preferences drive an agent's behavior in a sequential public good game depending on whether the agent is first or second mover. Theoretical predictions are based on heterogeneity of individuals in terms of social and risk preferences. We modelize preferences according to the inequity aversion model of Fehr and Schmidt (1999) and to the assumption of constant relative risk aversion. Risk aversion is signiï¬ cantly and negatively correlated with the contribution decision of ï¬ rst movers. Second movers with sufficiently high advantageous inequity aversion free-ride less and reciprocate more than others. Both results are predicted by our model. Nevertheless, no effect of disadvantageous inequity aversion of ï¬ rst movers is found in the data while theory predicted it. Our results underline the importance of taking into account the order of agents' play to correctly understand which type of preferences influences cooperation in voluntary contribution mechanisms. They suggest that individuals' behavior can be consistent between different experimental games.
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  • Sabrina Teyssier, 2012. "Inequity and risk aversion in sequential public good games," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 151(1), pages 91-119, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:151:y:2012:i:1:p:91-119
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-010-9735-1
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    8. James B. Davies, 2021. "Personal Gini Coefficients," University of Western Ontario, Departmental Research Report Series 20211, University of Western Ontario, Department of Economics.
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    14. Kocher, Martin G. & Martinsson, Peter & Matzat, Dominik & Wollbrant, Conny, 2015. "The role of beliefs, trust, and risk in contributions to a public good," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 236-244.
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    16. Schüssler, Katharina & Schüssler, Michael & Mühlbauer, Daniel, 2018. "Individual Differences and Contribution Sequences in Threshold Public Goods," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 88, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
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    21. Yang, Ran & Chen, Tong & Chen, Qiao, 2018. "The impact of lotteries on cooperation in the public goods game," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 512(C), pages 925-934.
    22. Salvatore Nunnari & Massimiliano Pozzi, 2022. "Meta-Analysis of Inequality Aversion Estimates," CESifo Working Paper Series 9851, CESifo.
    23. Yokoo Hide-Fumi, 2020. "A Model of Inequality Aversion and Private Provision of Public Goods," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 20(2), pages 1-5, June.
    24. Benjamin Ouvrard & Anne Stenger, 2017. "Nudging with heterogeneity in terms of environmental sensitivity : a public goods experiment in networks," Working Papers of BETA 2017-36, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    25. Annarita Colasante & Aurora García-Gallego & Nikolaos Georgantzis & Andrea Morone, 2020. "Voluntary contributions in a system with uncertain returns: a case of systemic risk," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 15(1), pages 111-132, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inequity aversion; Risk aversion; Public good game; Conditional cooperation; Strategic uncertainty; C72; C91; D63; D81; H41;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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