Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics
Working Papers in Economics,
University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics
No 523: Strong, Bold, and Kind: Self-Control and Cooperation in Social Dilemmas
Martin G. Kocher (), Peter Martinsson (), Kristian Ove R. Myrseth () and Conny Wollbrant ()
Additional contact information
Martin G. Kocher: Dept of Economics, University of Munich, and CESifo Munich, and Dept of Economics, University of Gothenburg, Postal: Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, D-80539 Munich, Germany
Peter Martinsson: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: P.O Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG, Sweden
Kristian Ove R. Myrseth: ESMT European School of Technology and Management, Postal: Schlossplatz 1, D-10178 Berlin, Germany
Conny Wollbrant: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: P.O.Box 640, SE 405 30 GÖTEBORG, Sweden
Abstract: We develop a model that relates self-control and conflict identification to cooperation patterns in social dilemmas. As predicted, we find in a laboratory public goods experiment a robust association between stronger self-control and higher levels of cooperation. This means that there is evidence for an impulse to be selfish and that cooperative behavior requires self-control effort. Free-riders differ from other contributor types only in their tendency not to have identified a self-control conflict in the first place.
Keywords: self-control; cooperation; public good; risk; experiment
55 pages, First version: January 18, 2012. Revised: April 2, 2013.
Full text files
28337 HTML file
Questions (including download problems) about the papers in this series should be directed to Jessica Oscarsson ()
Report other problems with accessing this service to Sune Karlsson ().
RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0523This page generated on 2024-11-14 18:33:27.