Universität zu Köln

Kölle, Felix (2012). Heterogeneity and Cooperation: Four Essays in Behavioral Economics. PhD thesis, Universität zu Köln.

Preview

PDF Heterogeneity_and_Cooperation_-_Four_Essays_in_Behavioral_Economics.pdf Download (965kB)

Abstract

This thesis investigates both, theoretically and empirically, the effects of heterogeneity on cooperation in social dilemma situations. Using concepts and instruments from behavioral and experimental economics, we are particularly interested in whether the knowledge and insights from cooperative behavior in homogeneous groups can be transferred or extrapolated to heterogeneous environments, or whether there are important interaction effects which influence people's willingness to cooperate in non-trivial ways. In Chapter 1, we therefore analyze the interaction of heterogeneous abilities and inequality in wealth on public goods provision. Chapter 2 studies heterogeneity in agents' capabilities and preferences and compares their influence on cooperative behavior when informal sanctions are available or not. In Chapter 3, we investigate how people's willingness to cooperate depends on the information they receive about heterogeneous public goods contributions of others. Finally, in Chapter 4 we examine whether differences in the framing of a decision situation affect the level of cooperation in a two-person social dilemma game. Based on our findings, we derive practical implications for the development of institutions that help to increase efficiency by fostering cooperation.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD thesis)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Kölle, Felix koelle@wiso.uni-koeln.de UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-50748
Date:	30 November 2012
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Management, Economy and Social Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences > Business Administration > Corporate Development > Professorship for Business Administration and Human Resources Management
Subjects:	Social sciences Economics
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language experimental economics; behavioral economics; personnel economics; heterogeneity; inequality; cooperation; social dilemma; public goods; fairness; social preferences; English Experimentelle Wirtschaftsforschung; Verhaltensökonomik; Personalökonomik; Heterogenität; Ungleichheit; Kooperation; Soziale Dilemmata; Öffentliche Güter; Fairness; Soziale Präferenzen; German
Date of oral exam:	5 March 2013
Referee:	Name Academic Title Sliwka, Dirk Prof. Dr. Rockenbach, Bettina Prof. Dr.
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/5074