Kooperation und Koordination in Situationen mit Populationsunsicherheit
Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse
This research project aimed to investigate the influence of population uncertainty on voluntary behavior, with a particular focus on cooperation and volunteering. The project consisted of four main parts, each addressing different aspects of the research question. The findings from these parts provide valuable insights into the complex dynamics of population uncertainty, social norms, stability of social relations, and group size in shaping voluntary behavior. The first part, ”Volunteering under Population Uncertainty,” explored the effects of population uncertainty on cooperation using the Volunteer’s Dilemma game. The study demonstrated that population uncertainty promotes cooperation, contrary to the expectation that uncertainty reduces cooperation levels. The findings highlighted the role of perceived criticality and the shift from self-regarding motives to pro-social motives under population uncertainty. Additionally, the study introduced a theoretical framework and experimental paradigm to study population uncertainty in the laboratory setting. The second part, ”How the Stability of Social Relations Shapes the Emergence of Latent Norms,” delved into the dynamics of norm stability and ex-ante prediction of emerging norms under population uncertainty. The study examined the impact of heterogeneity and social instability on the emergence and persistence of social norms. The theoretical model predicted different latent norms based on uncertainty levels, and the empirical evidence supported these predictions. The findings emphasized the interplay between social inequality, stability of social relations, and norm emergence. The third part focused on volunteering as an allocation mechanism in organizational contexts, particularly in the context of remote work. The studies, ”Volunteering at the Workplace under Incomplete Information” and ”Willingness to Volunteer among Remote Workers is Insensitive to the Team Size,” explored the prevalence of volunteering in real-life workplaces and investigated the impact of group size on volunteering behavior. Contrary to theoretical expectations and previous laboratory studies, the findings revealed no significant influence of group size on volunteering behavior. The results emphasized the role of workers’ beliefs about their co-workers’ volunteering choices and the importance of image concerns in anonymous remote work environments. Collectively, these three subprojects provide a comprehensive understanding of the influence of population uncertainty on voluntary behavior. The research findings highlight the positive effect of population uncertainty on cooperation, challenge conventional beliefs about the impact of group size on volunteering behavior, and shed light on the dynamics of norm stability in uncertain social environments. The project contributes to various fields, including social psychology, sociology, organizational behavior, and public policy. The practical implications of the findings can inform the design of allocation mechanisms and decision-making processes in various contexts, ultimately advancing our understanding of human behavior in uncertain social settings. In conclusion, this research project significantly enhances our knowledge of how population uncertainty shapes cooperative behavior and volunteering decisions. The interdisciplinary approach, combining theoretical analysis, laboratory experiments, and a large-scale field experiment, provides robust evidence and theoretical insights into the complex dynamics of population uncertainty. The findings have broad implications for understanding human behavior in uncertain social contexts and can inform the development of strategies and policies to promote cooperation and effective allocation mechanisms.
Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)
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Volunteering under population uncertainty. Games and Economic Behavior, 109, 65-81.
Hillenbrand, Adrian & Winter, Fabian
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Volunteering at the Workplace under Incomplete Information: Teamsize Does Not Matter. SSRN Electronic Journal.
Hillenbrand, Adrian; Werner, Tobias & Winter, Fabian
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Willingness to Volunteer Among Remote Workers Is Insensitive to the Team Size. SSRN Electronic Journal.
Hillenbrand, Adrian; Werner, Tobias & Winter, Fabian
