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Group polarization in the team dictator game reconsidered

Author Info

Listed author(s):
  • Wolfgang Luhan
  • Martin Kocher

    ()

  • Matthias Sutter

Abstract

While most papers on team decision-making find that teams behave more selfishly, less trustingly and less altruistically than individuals, Cason and Mui (1997) report that teams are more altruistic than individuals in a dictator game. Using a within-subjects design we re-examine group polarization by letting subjects make individual as well as team decisions in an experimental dictator game. In our experiment teams are more selfish than individuals, and the most selfish team member has the strongest influence on team decisions. Various explanations for the different findings in Cason and Mui (1997) and in our paper are discussed.

(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

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File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10683-007-9188-7
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Article provided by Springer & Economic Science Association in its journal Experimental Economics.

Volume (Year): 12 (2009)
Issue (Month): 1 (March)
Pages: 26-41

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Handle: RePEc:kap:expeco:v:12:y:2009:i:1:p:26-41
DOI: 10.1007/s10683-007-9188-7
Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www.springer.com

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Keywords: Experiment; Dictator game; Team behavior; Social preferences; C72; C91; C92; D70;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by 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
  • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
  • D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General

References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Dufwenberg, Martin & Muren, Astri, 2006. "Gender composition in teams," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 50-54, September.
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  3. Sutter, Matthias, 2005. "Are four heads better than two? An experimental beauty-contest game with teams of different size," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 41-46, July.
  4. Kugler, Tamar & Bornstein, Gary & Kocher, Martin G. & Sutter, Matthias, 2007. "Trust between individuals and groups: Groups are less trusting than individuals but just as trustworthy," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 646-657, December.
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  16. Blinder, Alan S & Morgan, John, 2005. "Are Two Heads Better than One? Monetary Policy by Committee," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 37(5), pages 789-811, October.
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