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An Economic Anatomy of Culture: Attitudes and Behaviour in Inter- and Intra-National Ultimatum Game Experiments

Author

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  • Swee-Hoon Chuah

    (Nottingham University Business School)

  • Robert Hoffmann

    () (Nottingham University Business School)

  • Martin Jones

    (Department of Economic Studies, University of Dundee Nethergate)

  • Geoffrey Williams

    (University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus)

Abstract

The processes by which culture influences economic variables need to be exposed in order for the concept to be a useful tool for prediction and policy formulation. We investigate the attitudes and experimental behaviour of Malaysian and UK subjects to shed light on the nature of culture and the mechanisms by which it affects economic behaviour. Attitudinal dimensions of culture which significantly influence experimental game play are identified. This approach is offered towards a method to suitably quantify culture for economic analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Swee-Hoon Chuah & Robert Hoffmann & Martin Jones & Geoffrey Williams, 2005. "An Economic Anatomy of Culture: Attitudes and Behaviour in Inter- and Intra-National Ultimatum Game Experiments," Discussion Papers 2005-11, The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham.
    • Handle: RePEc:not:notcdx:2005-11
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Martin Leroch & Carlo Reggiani & Gianpaolo Rossini & Eugenio Zucchelli, 2012. "Religious attitudes and home bias: theory and evidence from a pilot study," The School of Economics Discussion Paper Series 1206, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    2. Chesney, Thomas & Chuah, Swee-Hoon & Hoffmann, Robert, 2009. "Virtual world experimentation: An exploratory study," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 618-635, October.
    3. Aurora García-Gallego & Nikolaos Georgantzís & Ainhoa Jaramillo-Gutiérrez, 2013. "Country Differences in Ultimatum Wage Bargaining with a Real Task: Evidence from Greece, Spain and the UK," Working Papers 2013/13, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).
    4. Marc Piazolo, 2007. "Gerechtigkeit siegt über Eigennutz Ein Ultimatum Bargaining Game anhand von WM-Tickets," Proceedings-5th International Conference on Management, Enterprise and Benchmarking (MEB 2007), Óbuda University, Keleti Faculty of Business and Management.
    5. Swee Hoon Chuah & Robert Hoffmann & Bala Ramasamy & Jonathan H. W. Tan, 2016. "Is there a Spirit of Overseas Chinese Capitalism?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 1095-1118, December.
    6. Sun-Ki Chai & Dolgorsuren Dorj & Katerina Sherstyuk, 2018. "Cultural values and behavior in dictator, ultimatum and trust games: an experimental study," Working Papers 201805, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Economics.
    7. Kenju Akai & Robert J. Netzer, 2009. "Trust and Reciprocity among International Groups: Experimental Evidence from Austria and Japan," ISER Discussion Paper 0737r, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University, revised Aug 2010.
    8. Horak, Sven, 2013. "Cross-cultural experimental economics and indigenous management research: Issues and contributions," Working Papers on East Asian Studies 92/2013, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute of East Asian Studies IN-EAST.
    9. Ainhoa Jaramillo Gutiérrez & Nikolaos Georgantzis & Aurora García Gallego & Miguel Ginés Vilar, 2007. "Cultural And Risk-Related Determinants Of Gender Differences In Ultimatum Bargaining," Working Papers. Serie AD 2007-08, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie).
    10. Simon Gaechter & Benedikt Herrmann & Christian Thoeni, 2010. "Culture and Cooperation," Discussion Papers 2010-09, The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham.
    11. Güth, Werner & Kocher, Martin G., 2014. "More than thirty years of ultimatum bargaining experiments: Motives, variations, and a survey of the recent literature," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 396-409.
    12. Chuah, Swee Hoon & Gächter, Simon & Hoffmann, Robert & Tan, Jonathan H. W., 2015. "Religion, Discrimination and Trust," IZA Discussion Papers 9616, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    13. Swee-Hoon Chuah & Robert Hoffmann & Jeremy Larner, 2014. "Elicitation effects in a multi-stage bargaining experiment," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 17(2), pages 335-345, June.
    14. repec:wsi:serxxx:v:56:y:2011:i:04:n:s0217590811004390 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Chuah, Swee-Hoon & Hoffmann, Robert & Larner, Jeremy, 2014. "Chinese values and negotiation behaviour: A bargaining experiment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(6), pages 1203-1211.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    culture; ultimatum game; attitudes; world values survey; experiments;

    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
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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