Mine or ours? Unintended framing effects in dictator games
(2022) In Rationality and Society 34(1). p.78-95- Abstract
This paper reports results from a classroom dictator game comparing the effects of three different sets of standard instructions. The results show that seemingly small and typically unreported differences in standard instructions induce different perceptions regarding entitlement and ownership of the money to be distributed, and that these perceptions influence behaviour. Less is given when the task is described as a task of generosity and more when the task is a task of distribution (average 35% vs. 52%). The results can contribute to explaining the large variation in dictator game giving reported in the literature and show that even small and unreported differences in instructions change how the game is perceived. JEL codes: C70; C91;... (More)
This paper reports results from a classroom dictator game comparing the effects of three different sets of standard instructions. The results show that seemingly small and typically unreported differences in standard instructions induce different perceptions regarding entitlement and ownership of the money to be distributed, and that these perceptions influence behaviour. Less is given when the task is described as a task of generosity and more when the task is a task of distribution (average 35% vs. 52%). The results can contribute to explaining the large variation in dictator game giving reported in the literature and show that even small and unreported differences in instructions change how the game is perceived. JEL codes: C70; C91; D63
(Less)
- author
- Bergh, Andreas LU and Wichardt, Philipp C. LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2022
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- dictator games, framing effects, property rights, social preferences
- in
- Rationality and Society
- volume
- 34
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 18 pages
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85122814687
- ISSN
- 1043-4631
- DOI
- 10.1177/10434631211073326
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 3cbc295a-fdd2-49dc-b8af-410cf1199080
- date added to LUP
- 2022-02-24 12:52:32
- date last changed
- 2022-04-19 17:11:48
@article{3cbc295a-fdd2-49dc-b8af-410cf1199080, abstract = {{<p>This paper reports results from a classroom dictator game comparing the effects of three different sets of standard instructions. The results show that seemingly small and typically unreported differences in standard instructions induce different perceptions regarding entitlement and ownership of the money to be distributed, and that these perceptions influence behaviour. Less is given when the task is described as a task of generosity and more when the task is a task of distribution (average 35% vs. 52%). The results can contribute to explaining the large variation in dictator game giving reported in the literature and show that even small and unreported differences in instructions change how the game is perceived. JEL codes: C70; C91; D63</p>}}, author = {{Bergh, Andreas and Wichardt, Philipp C.}}, issn = {{1043-4631}}, keywords = {{dictator games; framing effects; property rights; social preferences}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{1}}, pages = {{78--95}}, publisher = {{SAGE Publications}}, series = {{Rationality and Society}}, title = {{Mine or ours? Unintended framing effects in dictator games}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10434631211073326}}, doi = {{10.1177/10434631211073326}}, volume = {{34}}, year = {{2022}}, }