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Continuous Time and Communication in a Public-goods Experiment

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  • Charness, Gary
  • Oprea, Ryan
  • Friedman, Dan

Abstract

We investigate the nature of continuous-time strategic interactions in public-goodsgames. In one set of treatments, four subjects make contribution decisions in continuous timewhile in another they make them only at discrete points of time. The effect of continuous timeis muted in public-goods games compared to simpler social dilemmas; the data suggest thatwidespread coordination problems are to blame. With a rich communication protocol, thesecoordination problems disappear and the median subject contributes fully to the public good,with no time decay. At the median, the same communication protocol is less than half aseffective in discrete time.

Suggested Citation

  • Charness, Gary & Oprea, Ryan & Friedman, Dan, 2012. "Continuous Time and Communication in a Public-goods Experiment," Santa Cruz Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt5404914p, Department of Economics, UC Santa Cruz.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:ucscec:qt5404914p
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social and Behavioral Sciences; public goods; voluntary contribution mechanism; continuous-time games;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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