Group Polarization in the Team Dictator Game reconsidered

Luhan, Wolfgang J.; Kocher, Martin G. and Sutter, Matthias (8. August 2006): Group Polarization in the Team Dictator Game reconsidered. Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper

Abstract

While most papers on team decision-making find teams to behave more selfish, less trusting and less altruistic than individuals, Cason and Mui (1997) report that teams are more altruistic than individuals in a dictator game. Using a within-subjects design we re-examine group polarization by letting subjects make individual as well as team decisions in an experimental dictator game. In our experiment teams are more selfish than individuals, and the most selfish team member has the strongest influence on team decisions. Various sources of the different findings in Cason and Mui (1997) and in our paper are discussed.

• Item Type: Paper
• Keywords: experiment; dictator game; team behavior; social preferences
• Faculties: Economics; Economics > Chairs > Chair of Empirical Economics
• Subjects: 300 Social sciences > 330 Economics
• JEL Classification: C72, C91, C92, D70
• Language: English