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Smile, Dictator, You’re on Camera

Author

Listed:
  • Joy A. Buchanan

    (Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science and Department of Economics, George Mason University)

  • Matthew K. McMahon

    (Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science and Department of Economics, George Mason University)

  • Matthew Simpson

    (Department of Statistics, University of Missouri - Columbia)

  • Bart J. Wilson

    (Economic Science Institute, Chapman University)

Abstract

We investigate the degree to which people in a shopping mall express other-regarding behavior in the dictator game. Whereas many studies have attempted to increase the social distance between the dictator and experimenter and between the dictator and dictatee, we attempt to minimize that social distance between random strangers by video recording the decisions with the permission of the dictators to display their image on the Internet. Offers made by dictators are high relative to other experiments and a nontrivial number give the entire experimental windfall away, however a nontrivial number of people keep everything as well.

Suggested Citation

  • Joy A. Buchanan & Matthew K. McMahon & Matthew Simpson & Bart J. Wilson, 2016. "Smile, Dictator, You’re on Camera," Working Papers 1061, George Mason University, Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:gms:wpaper:1061
    as

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    File URL: http://www.gmu.edu/schools/chss/economics/icesworkingpapers.gmu.edu/pdf/1061.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    experimental economics; social distance; dictator game;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • C70 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - General
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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