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The give-or-take-some dilemma: An empirical investigation of a hybrid social dilemma

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  • McCarter, Matthew W.
  • Budescu, David V.
  • Scheffran, Jürgen

Abstract

We describe and empirically investigate a hybrid social dilemma that merges give-some and take-some dilemmas by allowing individuals to choose to either give or to take resources from a shared resource pool. Study 1 finds that (a) group size increases the inequality among group members and the likelihood of creating the public good, while reducing the amount of wasted resources; (b) larger bonuses increase provision rates; and (c) asymmetry in the wealth distribution of the group members induces higher levels of inequality of the final outcomes. Following the logic of appropriateness, players with high (low) endowments were more likely to give toward (take from) the shared resource. Study 2 finds that the tendency of the players with high (low) endowments to give (take) is amplified as the difference between endowment levels increased, and the players' behavior is correlated with, and predictable from, independent judgments of what is perceived as appropriate.

Suggested Citation

  • McCarter, Matthew W. & Budescu, David V. & Scheffran, Jürgen, 2011. "The give-or-take-some dilemma: An empirical investigation of a hybrid social dilemma," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 116(1), pages 83-95, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:116:y:2011:i:1:p:83-95
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    2. Matthew McCarter & Anya Samek & Roman Sheremeta, 2014. "Divided Loyalists or Conditional Cooperators? Creating Consensus About Cooperation in Multiple Simultaneous Social Dilemmas," Artefactual Field Experiments 00441, The Field Experiments Website.
    3. Marco Faillo & Matteo Rizzolli & Stephan Tontrup, 2016. "Thou shalt not steal (from hard-working people)An experiment on respect for property claims," Econometica Working Papers wp58, Econometica.
    4. Gallier, Carlo & Kesternich, Martin & Löschel, Andreas & Waichman, Israel, 2017. "Ratchet up or down? An experimental investigation of global public good provision in the United Nations Youth Associations Network," ZEW Discussion Papers 17-071, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    5. Fung, Jane M.Y. & Au, Wing-tung, 2014. "Effect of inequality on cooperation: Heterogeneity and hegemony in public goods dilemma," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 123(1), pages 9-22.
    6. Hofmann, Eva & Hoelzl, Erik & Sabitzer, Thomas & Hartl, Barbara & Marth, Sarah & Penz, Elfriede, 2022. "Coercive and legitimate power in the sharing economy: Examining consumers’ cooperative behavior and trust," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    7. Tessa Haesevoets & Alain Van Hiel & Jasper Van Assche & Dries H. Bostyn & Chris Reinders Folmer, 2019. "An exploration of the motivational basis of take-some and give-some games," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 14(5), pages 535-546, September.
    8. van Soest, Daan & Stoop, Jan & Vyrastekova, Jana, 2016. "Toward a delineation of the circumstances in which cooperation can be sustained in environmental and resource problems," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 1-13.
    9. McCarter, Matthew W. & Wade-Benzoni, Kimberly A. & Kamal, Darcy K. Fudge & Bang, H. Min & Hyde, Steven J. & Maredia, Reshma, 2020. "Models of intragroup conflict in management: A literature review," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 925-946.
    10. Cecilia Rossignoli & Francesca Ricciardi & Sabrina Bonomi, 2018. "Organizing for Commons-Enabling Decision-Making Under Conflicting Institutional Logics in Social Entrepreneurship," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 417-443, June.
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