Long-Run Selection and the Work Ethic
22 Pages Posted: 11 Sep 2007
There are 3 versions of this paper
Long-Run Selection and the Work Ethic
Long-Run Selection and the Work Ethic
Abstract
That individuals contribute in social dilemma interactions even when contributing is costly is a well-established observation in the experimental literature. Since a contributor is always strictly worse off than a non-contributor the question is raised if an intrinsic motivation to contribute can survive in an evolutionary setting. Applying stochastic evolutionary dynamics we give conditions for equilibria with a positive number of contributors to be selected in the long run.
Keywords: work ethic, evolution, public goods, stochastic dynamics
JEL Classification: C72, D23, H41, M14, Z13
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation