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Preferences over Punishment and Reward Mechanisms in Social Dilemmas

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  • Martin G. Kocher
  • Dominik Matzat

Abstract

The existing results from literature on preferences over sanctions in social dilemmas are inconclusive. Our experimental setup allows us to study both preferences over punishment and reward mechanisms and preferences over their levels of effectiveness. We show that the voluntary contribution mechanism (VCM) with reward is the most favored and the most efficient institution, although the VCM with punishment leads to higher contributions. Subjects prefer extreme values of the sanctioning technologies, and contributions increase in the level of effectiveness. There is no difference in the voting pattern between a partner- and a stranger-matching treatment.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin G. Kocher & Dominik Matzat, 2016. "Preferences over Punishment and Reward Mechanisms in Social Dilemmas," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 172(1), pages 163-194, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:mhr:jinste:urn:sici:0932-4569(201603)172:1_163:poparm_2.0.tx_2-x
    DOI: 10.1628/093245613X14500948554072
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    1. Bochet, Olivier & Page, Talbot & Putterman, Louis, 2006. "Communication and punishment in voluntary contribution experiments," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 11-26, May.
    2. Anderson, Christopher M. & Putterman, Louis, 2006. "Do non-strategic sanctions obey the law of demand? The demand for punishment in the voluntary contribution mechanism," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 1-24, January.
    3. James Andreoni & William Harbaugh & Lise Vesterlund, 2003. "The Carrot or the Stick: Rewards, Punishments, and Cooperation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(3), pages 893-902, June.
    4. Andreoni, James, 1988. "Why free ride? : Strategies and learning in public goods experiments," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 291-304, December.
    5. Anabela Botelho & Glenn W. Harrison & Lígia Costa Pinto & Elisabet E. Rutstrom, 2005. "Social norms and social choice," NIMA Working Papers 30, Núcleo de Investigação em Microeconomia Aplicada (NIMA), Universidade do Minho.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yang, Xiaojun & Nie, Zihan & Qiu, Jianying & Tu, Qin, 2020. "Institutional preferences, social preferences and cooperation: Evidence from a lab-in-the-field experiment in rural China," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Christoph Engel & Urs Schweizer, 2016. "Beyond Privity 33rd International Seminar on the New Institutional Economics June 10-13, 2015, Edinburgh, United Kingdom," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 172(1), pages 1-4, March.

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    More about this item

    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
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior

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