Behavior, Communication, and Assumptions About Other Peoples' Behavior in a Commons Dilemma Situation

Abstract

Two experiments investigated effects of communication on behavior in an 8-person commons dilemma of group versus individual gain. Subjects made a single choice involving a substantial amount of money (possible outcomes ranging from nothing to $10.50). In Experiment 1, 4 communication conditions were crossed with the possibility of losing money (loss, no loss). Subjects chose defecting or cooperating responses and predicted responses of other group members. Results showed defection significantly higher in no communication and irrelevant communication conditions than in relevant communication and relevant communication plus roll call conditions. Loss had no effect on decisions. Defectors expected much more defection than did cooperators. Experiment 2 replicated irrelevant communication and communication effects, and compared predictions of participants with those of observers.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1976
Accession Number
ADA033040

Entities

People

  • Harriet Shaklee
  • Jeanne Mctavish
  • Robyn M. Dawes

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Analysis Of Variance
  • Applied Psychology
  • Biological Sciences
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  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Information Science
  • Military Research
  • Operations Research
  • Psychology
  • Roads
  • Social Psychology
  • Social Sciences
  • Students
  • Systems Engineering
  • United States Military Academy
  • War Colleges

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  • Psychology

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  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Regression Analysis.