Experimental Design Details
Sample Instructions for the Plus 2A Experiment
In this experiment, you (player A) are matched with another student in a different classroom (player C). Each of you obtains a base payment of $3 for this experiment. Based on a decision that you make, this initial set of payments can be changed in the following way:
Payment Change: You can earn $2 more, with player C earning $2 less, for total payments of $5 to YOU and $1 to PLAYER C.
You will also be matched with two other students, players B and D, who are in a similar situation as you and player C. Both players B and D also get a base payment of $3 each, and player B decides whether to make the Payment Change, so that B earns $2 more (total of $5) and D earn $2 less (total of $1).
Once the experiment is over, we will calculate the percentage of all “player B’s” who chose to make the Payment Change (vs. not). We will call this percentage Q. For example, if half of player B’s choose to make the Payment Change, and half do not, then Q will be 50 percent.
YOU have three options:
Option 1: YOU choose to MAKE the Payment Change directly ($2 more for you and $2 less for player C).
In this case, the Payment Change will be implemented for you and player C with probability Q.
Option 2: DO NOT make the Payment Change (so that you and C each obtain the initial $3).
In this case, your choice – NO PAYMENT CHANGE – will be implemented with 100 percent probability.
Option 3: Implement PLAYER B’s decision.
In this case, if your matched player B chooses to make the Payment Change for himself/herself and his/her player D, then the Payment Change will be made for you and player C as well. Likewise, if your player B chooses not to make the change, then the Payment Change will NOT be implemented for you and player C.
You know what the Options are, but your player C DOES NOT. Player C only knows that someone else will make a choice that determines payments to both of you. Your decision does not affect Players B and D in any way.
YOUR DECISION: I choose ***PLEASE CIRCLE ONE***
Option 1 Option 2 Option 3
(MAKE the Payment (Do NOT make (Implement PLAYER B’s
Change directly) the Payment Change) decision)
Variations in Option Order: A variation on the above instructions switches the order of Options 1 and 3 (with Option 1 becoming the delegation option and Option 3 becoming the Payment Change option).
Instructions for the Plus 2B Experiment: The same as for Plus 2A, except the menu of options is:
Option 1: YOU choose to MAKE the Payment Change directly ($2 more for you and $2 less for player C).
In this case, the Payment Change will be implemented for you and player C with 100% probability.
Option 2: YOU choose NOT TO MAKE the Payment Change (so that you and C each obtain $3).
In this case, your choice – NO PAYMENT CHANGE – will be implemented with probability 1-Q. The Payment Change will only be made for you and player C with probability Q.
Option 3: Implement PLAYER B’s decision.
In this case, if your matched player B chooses to make the Payment Change for himself/herself and his/her player D, then the Payment Change will be made for you and player C as well. Likewise, if your player B chooses not to make the change, then the Payment Change will NOT be implemented for you and player C.
Sample Instructions for Parallel Dictator Game
In this experiment, you (player A) will be matched with another student in a different classroom (player C). Each of you obtains a base payment of $3 for this experiment. Based on a decision that you make, this initial set of payments can be changed in the following way:
Payment Change: You can earn $2 more, with player C earning $2 less, for total payments of $5 to YOU and $1 to PLAYER C.
Once the experiment is over, we will calculate the percentage of all A players who chose to make the Payment Change (vs. not). We will call this percentage Q. For example, if half of player A’s choose to make the Payment Change, and half do not, then Q will be 50 percent.
YOU have two options:
Option 1: MAKE the PAYMENT CHANGE ($2 more for you and $2 less for player C).
In this case, the Payment Change will be implemented for you and player C with probability Q.
Option 2: DO NOT make the Payment Change (so that you and C each obtain the initial $3).
In this case, your choice – NO PAYMENT CHANGE – will be implemented with 100 percent probability.
You know what the Options are, but your player C DOES NOT. Player C only knows that someone else will make a choice that determines payments to both of you.
YOUR DECISION: I choose ***PLEASE CIRCLE ONE***
Option 1 Option 2
(MAKE the Payment (Do NOT make
Change) the Payment Change)