A Study of the Triggers of Conflict and Emotional Reactions

Michael Caldara, Michael McBride (), Matthew W. McCarter and Roman Sheremeta
Additional contact information
Michael Caldara: Amazon.com, Inc., 440 Terry Ave. N, Seattle, CA 98109, USA
Matthew W. McCarter: Department of Management, University of Texas, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA

Games, 2017, vol. 8, issue 2, 1-12

Abstract: We study three triggers of conflict and explore their resultant emotional reactions in a laboratory experiment. Economists suggest that the primary trigger of conflict is monetary incentives. Social psychologists suggest that conflicts are often triggered by fear. Finally, evolutionary biologists suggest that a third trigger is uncertainty about an opponent’s desire to cause harm. Consistent with the predictions from economics, social psychology, and evolutionary biology, we find that conflict originates from all three triggers. The three triggers differently impact the frequency of conflict, but not the intensity. Also, we find that the frequency and intensity of conflict decrease positive emotions and increase negative emotions and that conflict impacts negative emotions more than positive emotions.

Keywords: conflict; incentives; fear; uncertainty; laboratory experiment; reverse dictator game; joy of destruction game (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C C7 C70 C71 C72 C73 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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