The effect of pior cooperation (competition) on future competition (cooperation) : an experimental approach

• Main Authors: Bai, Zhongzheng, Chua, Kun Da, Zhao, Junqi
• Other Authors: Yohanes Eko Riyanto
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Economic theory
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/69762
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Our study aims to investigate how prior exposure to a competitive (cooperative) environment will affect an individual’ s behavior in a cooperative (competitive) environment within a controlled experimental setting. We simulated cooperation with public goods game and competition by tournament with sabotage. Findings from our research show that past competition decreases future cooperation in early periods. This effect is especially prominent among subjects who have competed more aggressively. Past cooperation also decreases the level of competition. However, this result is only statistically significant for more cooperative subjects. Subjects who were more cooperative in the past tend to compete lesser than subjects who were less cooperative. Keywords: experimental economics, public goods game, contribution game, tournament with sabotage, infinitely repeated periods, repeatedly matched, competition, cooperation