We assess in the laboratory the effect of promises on group decision-making. The gift-exchange game provides the testing ground for our experiment. When the game is played between groups, inter-group cooperation and reciprocity represent a condition for increasing total earnings as a measure of social efficiency. Our findings show that promises have positive effect on aggregate payoffs and that effect is reinforced when a group member is randomly selected as proposer to set forth an effort/transfer level that other group members can approve or reject. Promises and proposers elicit social conformity leading groups to exhibit more desirable social behavior.
Promises in group decision making
Faralla V.;Novarese M.
2020-01-01
Abstract
We assess in the laboratory the effect of promises on group decision-making. The gift-exchange game provides the testing ground for our experiment. When the game is played between groups, inter-group cooperation and reciprocity represent a condition for increasing total earnings as a measure of social efficiency. Our findings show that promises have positive effect on aggregate payoffs and that effect is reinforced when a group member is randomly selected as proposer to set forth an effort/transfer level that other group members can approve or reject. Promises and proposers elicit social conformity leading groups to exhibit more desirable social behavior.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
