Behavior, communication, and assumptions about other people's behavior in a commons dilemma situation.

TLDR

The study examined how communication influences behavior in an 8‑person commons dilemma, comparing group versus individual gain. Participants chose to defect or cooperate over a monetary payoff while predicting others’ choices, under four communication conditions (relevant, irrelevant, roll‑call, none) and with or without a loss possibility. Defection rates were higher when communication was absent or irrelevant, but not when communication was relevant or included roll‑call; loss had no effect, defectors over‑predicted others’ defection, and these patterns replicated in a second experiment that also compared participant and observer predictions.

Abstract

Abstract : Two experiments investigated effects of communication on behavior in an 8-person commons dilemma of group versus individual gain. Subjects made a single choice involving a substantial amount of money (possible outcomes ranging from nothing to $10.50). In Experiment 1, 4 communication conditions were crossed with the possibility of losing money (loss, no loss). Subjects chose defecting or cooperating responses and predicted responses of other group members. Results showed defection significantly higher in no communication and irrelevant communication conditions than in relevant communication and relevant communication plus roll call conditions. Loss had no effect on decisions. Defectors expected much more defection than did cooperators. Experiment 2 replicated irrelevant communication and communication effects, and compared predictions of participants with those of observers.