The dynamics of human behavior in the public goods game with institutional incentives.

ABSTRACT: The empirical research on the public goods game (PGG) indicates that both institutional rewards and institutional punishment can curb free-riding and that the punishment effect is stronger than the reward effect. Self-regarding models that are based on Nash equilibrium (NE) strategies or evolutionary game dynamics correctly predict which incentives are best at promoting cooperation, but individuals do not play these rational strategies overall. The goal of our study is to investigate the dynamics of human decision making in the repeated PGG with institutional incentives. We consider that an individual's contribution is affected by four factors, which are self-interest, the behavior of others, the reaction to rewards, and the reaction to punishment. We find that people on average do not rea

SUBMITTER: Dong Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4919618 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature