Frustration and anger in the Ultimatum Game: An experiment

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Aina, Chiara; Battigalli, Pierpaolo; Gamba, Astrid
• 署名单位: University of Zurich; Bocconi University; Bocconi University; University of Insubria
• 刊物名称: GAMES AND ECONOMIC BEHAVIOR
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0899-8256
• DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2020.04.006
• 发表日期: 2020
• 页码: 150-167
• 关键词: Experiments; Psychological games; Ultimatum minigame; frustration; anger; Non-equilibrium analysis

摘要

In social dilemmas, choices may depend on belief-dependent motivations enhancing the credibility of promises or threats at odds with personal gain maximization. We address this issue theoretically and experimentally in the context of the Ultimatum Minigame, assuming that the choice of accepting or rejecting a greedy proposal is affected by a combination of frustration, due to unfulfilled expectations, and inequity aversion. We increase the responder's payoff from the default allocation (the proposer's outside option) with the purpose of increasing the responder's frustration due to the greedy proposal, and thus his willingness to reject it. In addition, we manipulate the method of play, with the purpose of switching on (direct response method) and off (strategy method) the responder's experience of anger. Our behavioral predictions across and within treatments are derived from the theoretical model complemented by explicit auxiliary assumptions, without relying on equilibrium analysis. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.