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September 29, 2003

Comments

Isn't this how we are raised. We are taught from a very young age to trust people. We are also raised to believe that when you do something nice to someone, something nice will happen to you. We also put value on things. $10 you didn't earn, but have a chance to make a return on, wouldn't be valuable to most people. Would the results differ if you gave DM1 $10,000?

Do you think that the rational self-interest assumption, which is fundamental to economics, actually causes people to be selfish? If policymakers, lawmakers, etc treat people as if they were all selfish, then for a citizen to assimilate in a world in which they are expected to be selfish, they have to be selfish.

Did I get this right? 2/3 of the DM1s lost money due to their foolish trust in DM2?

Do you have a more detailed breakdown of the responses?

Hannes Kvaran

I don't think they lost money because of the multiplier. Presumably both DM1 & DM2 increased their funds,

Will

put sum trust games on then

Kevin,

You don't need to post this, but you have a small typo in this post... 'now' should be 'not'.

.....Of course, DM1 should then send nothing. But this is now what happened.

Zack

this is no help what so ever get some help!

I recently participated in an experiment exactly like the one mentioned above. I had no prior knowledge to the trust game, nor did I have any background in studying game theory. As DM1, I sent all 10 dollars to DM2, hoping that we could each make $15 off of it. I was surprised, however, to receive all $30 back (DM2 left with only their $10 show-up fee).

Perhaps this case illustrates a belief that one should not accept gifts or take what was not theirs, even when offered free from social consequence.

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