A BEJEAP Contributions article.

Abstract

Framing a decision situation differently has affected behavior substantially in previous studies. This paper tests a framing effect in a field experiment at the University of Zurich. Each semester, every student has to decide whether to contribute to two social funds. Students were randomly informed that a high percentage of the student population contributed (or, equivalently, that a low percentage did not contribute), while others received the information that a relatively low percentage contributed (or a high percentage did not contribute).

The results show the influence of framing effects is limited. People behave in a conditional cooperative way if informed either about the number of contributors or about the equivalent number of non-contributors. The positive correlation between group behavior and individual behavior is, however, weaker when the focus is on the defectors. The field experiment also shows gender differences in social comparison.

Submitted: June 30, 2005 · Accepted: November 4, 2005 · Published: January 13, 2006

Originally published in Contributions to Economic Analysis & Policy.

Recommended Citation

Meier, Stephan (2006) "Does Framing Matter for Conditional Cooperation? Evidence from a Natural Field Experiment," Contributions to Economic Analysis & Policy: Vol. 5 : Iss. 2, Article 1.
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/bejeap/contributions/vol5/iss2/art1