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Paradox lost: Explaining and modeling seemingly random individual behavior in social dilemmas

Author

Listed:
  • Joe Oppenheimer

    (Department of Government and Politics, University of Maryland, USA, joppenheimer@gvpt.umd.edu)

  • Stephen Wendel

    (Department of Government and Politics, University of Maryland, USA)

  • Norman Frohlich

    (Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba, Canada and Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Canada)

Abstract

Despite a large body of experimental data demonstrating consistent group outcomes in social dilemmas, a close look at individual behavior at the micro level reveals a more complicated story. From round to round, individual behavior appears to be almost random. Using a combination of formal deduction and agent-based simulations, we argue that any theory of individual choice that accounts for the observed behavior of real people is likely to require 1) premises of probabilistic choice, 2) preferences that are a function of others’ previous behavior (i.e., context dependent), and 3) preferences that are other-regarding rather than simply self-interested. We present a model that fits the requirements.

Suggested Citation

  • Joe Oppenheimer & Stephen Wendel & Norman Frohlich, 2011. "Paradox lost: Explaining and modeling seemingly random individual behavior in social dilemmas," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 23(2), pages 165-187, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jothpo:v:23:y:2011:i:2:p:165-187
    DOI: 10.1177/0951629811398687
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ispano, Alessandro & Schwardmann, Peter, 2017. "Cooperating over losses and competing over gains: A social dilemma experiment," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 329-348.

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