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Mine, Ours or Yours? Unintended Framing Effects in Dictator Games

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  • Andreas Bergh
  • Philipp Christoph Wichardt

Abstract

This paper reports results from a classroom dictator game comparing the effects of three different sets of standard instructions. The results show that seemingly small differences in instructions induce fundamentally different perceptions regarding entitlement. Behavior is affected accordingly, i.e. instructions inducing subjects to perceive the task as distributive rather than a task of generosity lead to higher allocations to receivers (average 52% vs. 35%). A theoretical explanation integrating monetary as well as social incentives and emphasizing potential effects of uncertainty about the latter is discussed (cf. Bergh and Wichardt, 2018).

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Bergh & Philipp Christoph Wichardt, 2018. "Mine, Ours or Yours? Unintended Framing Effects in Dictator Games," CESifo Working Paper Series 7049, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_7049
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    2. Martin Paldam, 2018. "The strategies of economic research - An empirical study," Economics Working Papers 2018-04, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.
    3. Martin Paldam, 2019. "Methods used in economic research. An empirical study of trends and levels," Working Papers CEB 19-002, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    dictator games; framing effects; property rights; social preferences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C70 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - General
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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