Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/32562 
Year of Publication: 
2009
Series/Report no.: 
Jena Economic Research Papers No. 2009,054
Publisher: 
Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Max Planck Institute of Economics, Jena
Abstract: 
The measurement of social norms plays a pivotal role in many social sciences. While economists predominantly conduct experiments, sociologists rather employ (factorial) surveys. Both methods, however, suffer from distinct weaknesses. Experiments, on the one hand, often fall short in the measurement of more complex elements, such as the conditionality or the level of consensus of social norms. Surveys, on the other, lack the ability to measure actual behavior. This paper argues that the so-called strategy method compensates for these weaknesses by combining the observational characteristic of experiments with the conditionality of factorial surveys. We can demonstrate the applicability of the strategy method for the measure- ment of conditional bargaining norms in the case of ultimatum games. To substantiate our claim, we conduct a methodological experiment in which we compare results for the strategy ultimatum game with those from a conventional ultimatum game. The strategy method yields higher levels of normative compliance in terms of rejecting unfair offers. We conclude that the strategy method rather measures normative expectations whereas the conventional ultimatum game the willingness to sacrifice own profits to adhere to these expectations. Our results are consistent with previous comparative research between factorial surveys and observational data.
Subjects: 
Social norms
measurement
ultimatum game
strategy method
factorial surveys
JEL: 
Z13
D63
C91
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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