Leading by words: A voluntary contribution experiment with one-way communication

Anastasios Koukoumelis, Maria Levati and Johannes Weisser

Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2012, vol. 81, issue 2, 379-390

Abstract: We use experimental methods to study the power of leading by words. The context is a voluntary contribution mechanism with one-way communication. One group member can send a free-form text message to his fellow players. Contrary to the commonly accepted wisdom that the cooperation-enhancing effect of communication requires the mutual exchange of promises, we find that the introduction of one-way communication increases contributions substantially and decreases their variation. When communication is one-shot, its effect on contribution levels persists over time. Moreover, one-way communication is effective even in the absence of strategic concerns.

Keywords: Public goods experiment; Computer-mediated communication; Cheap talk; Cooperation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C72 C92 H41 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (43)

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Working Paper: Leading by Words: A Voluntary Contribution Experiment With One-Way Communication (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:81:y:2012:i:2:p:379-390

DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2011.11.007

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