Cooperation in viscous populations-Experimental evidence

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Grimm, Veronika; Mengel, Friederike
• 署名单位: Universitat d'Alacant; Maastricht University; University of Cologne; University of Erlangen Nuremberg
• 刊物名称: GAMES AND ECONOMIC BEHAVIOR
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0899-8256
• DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2008.05.005
• 发表日期: 2009
• 页码: 202-220
• 关键词: Experiments; COOPERATION; Group selection; NORMS; Population viscosity

摘要

We experimentally investigate the effect of population viscosity (an increased probability to interact with others of one's type or group) on cooperation in a standard prisoner's dilemma environment. Subjects can repeatedly choose between two groups that differ in the defector gain in the associated prisoner's dilemma. Choosing into the group with the smaller defector-gain can signal one's willingness to cooperate. We find that viscosity produces an endogenous sorting of cooperators and defectors and persistently high rates of cooperation. Higher viscosity leads to a sharp increase in overall cooperation rates and in addition positively affects the subjects' preferences for cooperation. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.