Fantino, E. & Kennelly, A. (2009).
Sharing the wealth: factors influencing resource allocation in the Sharing Game.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 91, 337-354.
Students chose between two allocation options, one that gave the
allocator more and another participant still more (the "optimal"
choice) and one which gave the allocator less and the other participant
still less (the "competitive" choice). In a
within-subjects design, students' behavior patterns were
significantly correlated across the two rounds of decision-making;
however, students allocated more optimally when the allocation involved
real rather than hypothetical money, suggesting that both motivational
context and individuals' personality and/or experience influence
preference patterns. The nature of the putative other participant did
not affect the allocation: students allocated in a comparable
fashion whether the other participant was said to be male, female,
or a computer.
Key words: choice, Sharing Game, economic games, resource allocation,
money, Dictator Game, humans