How Do Prisoners Solve Their Dilemma? An Experiment
24 Pages Posted: 11 Dec 2015 Last revised: 15 Apr 2016
Date Written: November 1, 2015
Abstract
How do actual prisoners solve their proverbial dilemma? In a lab experiment, conducted in a German prison for male juvenile offenders, we find that prisoners are no less cooperative than students in a symmetric two-person prisoner’s dilemma. Using data from post-experimental tests, we explain this behavior with efficiency seeking, while our data do not support that choices are caused by inequity aversion.
Keywords: prisoner’s dilemma, prisoner, efficiency seeking, inequity aversion
JEL Classification: C91, D03, D61, D63, H41, K14
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Chmura, Thorsten and Engel, Christoph and Englerth, Markus, How Do Prisoners Solve Their Dilemma? An Experiment (November 1, 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2698196 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2698196
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Feedback
Feedback to SSRN
If you need immediate assistance, call 877-SSRNHelp (877 777 6435) in the United States, or +1 212 448 2500 outside of the United States, 8:30AM to 6:00PM U.S. Eastern, Monday - Friday.