Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/100156 
Year of Publication: 
2013
Series/Report no.: 
CeDEx Discussion Paper Series No. 2013-05
Publisher: 
The University of Nottingham, Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics (CeDEx), Nottingham
Abstract: 
We study the effect of group size on cooperation in voluntary contribution mechanism games. As in previous experiments, we study four- and eight-person groups in high and low marginal per capita return (MPCR) conditions. We find a positive effect of group size in the low MPCR condition, as in previous experiments. However, in the high MPCR condition we observe a negative group size effect. We extend the design to investigate two- and threeperson groups in the high MPCR condition, and find that cooperation is highest of all in twoperson groups. The findings in the high MPCR condition are consistent with those from n-person prisoner's dilemma and oligopoly experiments that suggest it is more difficult to sustain cooperation in larger groups. The findings from the low MPCR condition suggest that this effect can be overridden. In particular, when cooperation is low other factors, such as considerations of the social benefits of contributing (which increase with group size), may dominate any negative group size effect.
Subjects: 
voluntary contribution mechanism
cooperation
group size
JEL: 
C72
H41
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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