McMaster Experimental Economics Laboratory

The "Spite" Dilemma: Spite or No Spite, is there a Dilemma?

Douglas Brunton
Rabia Hasan
Stuart Mestelman

Department of Economics
McMaster University
November 2000
 

Abstract

The results are reported for five laboratory sessions in which a voluntary contribution mechanism is used to collect resources to provide a public good.  The individually rational action for each subject coincides with the collectively rational action.  Group contributions do not generally converge to the conventional equilibrium level.  Deviations from the predicted equilibrium are not explained by the value orientations of the members of the groups.

Corresponding Author:
Stuart Mestelman
Department of Economics
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M4
Canada
e-mail: mestelma@mcmaster.ca


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