Strong, Bold, and Kind: Self-Control and Cooperation in Social Dilemmas

Kocher, Martin G.; Martinsson, Peter; Myrseth, Kristian Ove R. and Wollbrant, Conny (January 2012): Strong, Bold, and Kind: Self-Control and Cooperation in Social Dilemmas. Discussion Papers in Economics 2012-3

Abstract

We develop a model relating self-control, risk preferences and conflict identification to cooperation patterns in social dilemmas. We subject our model to data from an experimental public goods game and a risk experiment, and we measure conflict identification and self-control. As predicted, we find a robust association between self-control and higher levels of cooperation, and the association is weaker for more risk-averse individuals. Free riders differ from other contributor types only in their tendency not to have identified a self-control conflict in the first place. Our model accounts for the data at least as well as do other models.

• Item Type: Paper
• Keywords: self-control, cooperation, public good, risk, experiment
• Faculties: Economics; Economics > Munich Discussion Papers in Economics; Economics > Chairs > Chair of Empirical Economics
• Subjects: 300 Social sciences > 300 Social sciences, sociology and anthropology; 300 Social sciences > 330 Economics
• JEL Classification: C91, D03, H40
• Language: English

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