Bad luck vs. self-inflicted neediness – An experimental investigation of gift giving in a solidarity game

Nadja Trhal and Ralf Radermacher

No 28, Working Paper Series in Economics from University of Cologne, Department of Economics

Abstract: We experimentally examine the impact of self-inflicted neediness on the solidarity behavior of subjects. In one treatment in our solidarity experiment all subjects face the same probability of becoming needy, in the other treatment subjects have the choice between a secure payment and a lottery including a certain probability of becoming needy. Then we ask all subjects how much they will give to losers in their group thus investigating if people are willing to give the same gifts whether or not subjects are responsible for inequality in payoffs. We found evidence for allocative as well as for procedural utility concerns.

Keywords: solidarity game; self-inflicted neediness; responsibility; procedural utility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 D63 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006-08-21, Revised 2008-03-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp, nep-soc and nep-upt
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

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