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The Effects of Decision Framing and Others' Behavior on Cooperation in a Social Dilemma

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  • John A. Fleishman

    (Department of Sociology, University of Maryland)

Abstract

In a decision situation, the choice alternatives can be described, or framed, with respect to different reference points, such as gains or losses. This study investigates the effects of decision framing in a social dilemma. Subjects, in groups of four or five persons, participated in a simulated social dilemma. Two factors were manipulated: decision framing (either in terms of giving to a collective good or taking from a collective good), and others' behavior (whether other group members had apparently cooperated a little or a great deal on the first trial). Subjects conformed to others' behavior when they could take from a collective good, but they diffused responsibility and acted contrary to others' behavior when they could give to a public good. These results imply that models of choice behavior in social dilemmas should be expanded to include framing effects, as well as other departures from strict rationality. Moreover, the results suggest that findings from social dilemma research in which subjects can contribute to buy a public good may not be consistent with findings from studies in which subjects can take resources from a common pool.

Suggested Citation

  • John A. Fleishman, 1988. "The Effects of Decision Framing and Others' Behavior on Cooperation in a Social Dilemma," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 32(1), pages 162-180, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jocore:v:32:y:1988:i:1:p:162-180
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    Cited by:

    1. Le Coent, Philippe & Préget, Raphaële & Thoyer, Sophie, 2017. "Compensating Environmental Losses Versus Creating Environmental Gains: Implications for Biodiversity Offsets," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 120-129.
    2. Dufwenberg, Martin & Gächter, Simon & Hennig-Schmidt, Heike, 2011. "The framing of games and the psychology of play," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 459-478.
    3. Tessa Haesevoets & Alain Van Hiel & Jasper Van Assche & Dries H. Bostyn & Chris Reinders Folmer, 2019. "An exploration of the motivational basis of take-some and give-some games," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 14(5), pages 535-546, September.
    4. repec:cup:judgdm:v:14:y:2019:i:5:p:535-546 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Murnighan, J. Keith & Wang, Long, 2016. "The social world as an experimental game," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 80-94.
    6. Stephan Meier, 2005. "Does framing matter for conditional cooperation? Evidence from a natural field experiment," Natural Field Experiments 00309, The Field Experiments Website.
    7. Martin Dufwenberg & Simon Gaechter & Heike Hennig-Schmidt, 2006. "The Framing of Games and the Psychology of Strategic Choice," Discussion Papers 2006-20, The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham.
    8. Cox, Caleb & Korenok, Oleg & Millner, Edward & Razzolini, Laura, 2018. "Giving, taking, earned money, and cooperation in public good games," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 211-213.
    9. Hugh-Jones, David & Leroch, Martin A, 2012. "Reciprocity towards groups: a laboratory experiment on the causes," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 99, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    10. Chaudhuri, Ananish & Li, Yaxiong & Paichayontvijit, Tirnud, 2016. "What’s in a frame? Goal framing, trust and reciprocity," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 117-135.
    11. Cárdenas, Juan-Camilo & Gómez, Santiago & Mantilla, César, 2019. "Between-group competition enhances cooperation in resource appropriation games," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 17-26.
    12. Böhm, Robert & Theelen, Maik M.P., 2016. "Outcome valence and externality valence framing in public good dilemmas," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 151-163.
    13. Meier Stephan, 2005. "Does Framing Matter for Conditional Cooperation? Evidence from a Natural Field Experiment," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 5(2), pages 1-21, December.
    14. Thunström, Linda, 2019. "Preferences for fairness over losses," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    15. Edward Cartwright, 2016. "A comment on framing effects in linear public good games," Journal of the Economic Science Association, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 2(1), pages 73-84, May.

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