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Personal Information Disclosure under Competition for Benefits: Is Sharing Caring?

Author

Listed:
  • Viola Ackfeld

    (University of Cologne)

  • Werner Güth

    (Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods)

Abstract

Personal information is shared extensively every day, partly in exchange for benefits or as a reaction to other people’s information sharing. In this paper, we experimentally investigate these two factors by analyzing the interaction of peer comparison and incentives to disclose potentially privacy-sensitive information. We find that information sharing is higher under incentives, and further increases under peer comparison. This effect is driven by those initially disclosing less, who additionally report to feel more compelled to reveal information. Our results provide an explanation for the current information sharing trend while pointing to a potentially neglected side-effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Viola Ackfeld & Werner Güth, 2019. "Personal Information Disclosure under Competition for Benefits: Is Sharing Caring?," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2019_04, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods.
    • Handle: RePEc:mpg:wpaper:2019_04
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Benndorf, Volker & Kübler, Dorothea & Normann, Hans-Theo, 2022. "Behavioral forces driving information unraveling," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Market Behavior SP II 2022-206, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Personal information disclosure; Peer comparison; Incentives; Experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • D30 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - General
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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