Trust in Cartels - December 2023 - Moderator Study
Start of Block: Consent
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CONSENT FORM AND CLICK "I CONSENT" AT THE BOTTOM. PURPOSE OF RESEARCH STUDY: The purpose of this research study is to understand how people behave in organizational settings. We anticipate that approximately 400 people will participate in this study. PROCEDURES: After indicating your consent, you will read about an organizational situation and answer a series of questions. The study is expected to last about 9 minutes. RISKS/DISCOMFORTS: The risks associated with participation in this study are no greater than those encountered in daily life. BENEFITS: Participation in this task may help you to understand your decision-making in organizational settings. This study may benefit society if the results lead to a better understanding of the regularities in organizational behavior. VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION AND RIGHT TO WITHDRAW: Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary: You choose whether to participate. If you decide not to participate, there are no penalties, and you will not lose any benefits to which you would otherwise be entitled. If you choose to participate in the study, you can stop your participation at any time, without any penalty or loss of benefits. If you want to withdraw from the study, please close your browser. ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION: You have the alternative not to participate in this study.
CONFIDENTIALITY: No study records will identify you. The records from your participation may be reviewed by people responsible for making sure that research is done properly, including members of the Johns Hopkins University Homewood Institutional Review Board and officials from government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Office for Human Research Protections. (All of these people are required to keep your identity confidential.) Otherwise, records that identify you will be available only to people working on the study, unless you give permission for other people to see the records. All study materials will refer to you by number, not by name or other identifying information. Data will be stored on a password-protected computer and will only be available to the people working on the study. COMPENSATION: If you satisfactorily complete the study, you will earn $1.50 plus a potential bonus. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS: You can ask questions about this research study now or at any time during the study, by emailing the researcher in charge of this study, Brian Gunia, at
[email protected]. If you have questions about your rights as a research participant or feel that you have not been treated fairly, please call the Homewood Institutional Review Board at Johns Hopkins University at (410) 516-6580. CONSENT WHAT YOUR CONSENT MEANS: By clicking, "I consent" below, you indicate that you understand the information in this consent form and that you agree to participate in the study. By providing your consent, you have not waived any legal rights you otherwise would have as a participant in a research study. If you do not consent, please close your browser to exit the study.
o I consent
Page Break
First please enter your Prolific Academic ID:
________________________________________________________________
Page Break
Brushing your teeth is a very important behavior. When answering the question below, please select Never. Brushing your teeth every day helps promote hygiene and oral health.
How often do you brush your teeth?
o Never
o Once every few days
o Every other day
o Every day
o Twice per day
o More than twice per day
End of Block: Consent
Start of Block: Intro
Welcome to the study. Please read the following information carefully. You will be asked to recall certain details later.
In this study, you will interact with several other Prolific participants who are online right now. You will interact with them across several rounds. You have been randomly selected to act as a seller; you are attempting to sell a product to a buyer. First, you will interact with another seller who is attempting to sell the same product to the same buyer. Second, you interact with the buyer, who is interested in buying from you or the other seller.
You will repeat this process across multiple rounds.
Please answer the following questions:
What is your role?
o Buyer
o Seller
With whom will you interact first?
o A buyer
o A seller
With whom will you interact second?
o A buyer
o A seller
How many times will you interact with other Prolific participants?
o Once
o Multiple times
End of Block: Intro
Start of Block:
This is the first of multiple rounds.
You are a seller who is trying to sell a refrigerator to a buyer. You can choose to sell the refrigerator for one of two prices—a high price ($4000) or a low price ($1000).
You will now be paired with another participant who is trying to sell the same type of refrigerator, in the same condition, to the same buyer. Like you, the other seller can choose to sell the refrigerator for a high price ($4000) or a low price ($1000).
Please note that the buyer only needs one refrigerator, so they will only buy a refrigerator from you or from the other seller, not both of you. If the buyer buys the refrigerator from you for $4000, you will receive a $0.40 bonus. If the buyer buys the refrigerator from you for $1000, you will receive a $0.10 bonus. If the buyer buys the refrigerator from the other seller, you will receive no bonus.
Please answer the following questions:
Which of the following prices can you offer to the buyer? Please check all that apply:
▢ $5000
▢ $4000
▢ $3000
▢ $2000
▢ $1000
Which of the following prices can the other seller offer to the buyer? Please check all that apply:
▢ $5000
▢ $4000
▢ $3000
▢ $2000
▢ $1000
Page Break
Timing
First Click
Last Click
Page Submit
Click Count
Please wait while we pair you with another seller...
Page Break
Timing
First Click
Last Click
Page Submit
Click Count
You have been randomly paired with participant 5b7369007a6y27691g88710, who is also acting as a seller. In a moment, each of you will make an offer to the buyer, after which the buyer will decide which offer to accept. The seller whose offer is accepted will receive a bonus in accordance with the instructions above.
Before either of you interacts with the buyer, you and the other seller can exchange messages in which you discuss whatever you would like.
Please wait while the other participant writes a message to you. The continue button will appear once they have finished writing their message.
Page Break
Here is a message from participant 5b7369007a6y27691g88710, the other seller:
hey nice to meet you…im gonna offer the buyer 4000 not 1000. suggest you do too
Please type your reply to the other seller here:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Page Break
Timing
First Click
Last Click
Page Submit
Click Count
The other seller has received your message. They have been randomly selected to interact with the buyer first. Please wait while they do so. While you are waiting, think about what the other seller said in their message. The Continue button will appear when it is time to proceed.
End of Block:
Start of Block: Round 1 Interaction
Timing
First Click
Last Click
Page Submit
Click Count
The other seller has interacted with the buyer. Now it’s your turn to interact with the buyer. Please wait while we connect you with the buyer and they type you a message.
Page Break
Here is a message from participant 4t9365712n9yp09128q49877, the buyer:
Hi, just so you know, the other seller offered 4000…what's your offer?
Now please choose which price you wish to offer the buyer for your refrigerator:
o $4000
o $1000
Page Break
The buyer has received your offer. You will learn which offers they accepted at the end of the experiment.
Timing
First Click
Last Click
Page Submit
Click Count
End of Block: Round 1 Interaction
Start of Block: Round 2 Background and Message
This is the second of multiple rounds.
The situation is the same as before: You are a seller who is trying to sell another refrigerator to a buyer, and you can choose to sell it for $4000 or $1000. The other seller (the same person who you interacted with last round) is trying to sell the same type of refrigerator, and they can do so for $4000 or $1000.
Once again, there is a buyer who only needs one refrigerator. If the new buyer buys the refrigerator from you for $4000, you will receive a $0.40 bonus. If the buyer buys the refrigerator from you for $1000, you will receive a $0.10 bonus. If the buyer buys the refrigerator from the other seller, you will receive no bonus.
You will now exchange messages with the other seller.
Page Break
Timing
First Click
Last Click
Page Submit
Click Count
Please wait while the other participant writes a message to you. The continue button will appear once they have finished writing their message.
Page Break
Here is a message from participant 5b7369007a6y27691g88710, the other seller:
hey same as before…im gonna offer the buyer 4000, you should too
Please type your reply to the other seller here:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________