Everyone is a Winner: Promoting Cooperation through Non-Rival Intergroup Competition
24 Pages Posted: 7 Nov 2008
Date Written: August 1, 2008
Abstract
In this paper, we study the effectiveness of intergroup competition in promoting cooperative behavior. We focus on intergroup competition that is non-rival in the sense that everyone can be a winner. This type of competition does not give groups an incentive to outcompete others. However, in spite of this fact, we find that intergroup competition produces a universal increase in cooperation. Furthermore, in settings where there are strong incentives to compete, intergroup competition benefits a majority of individuals.
Keywords: intergroup competition, cooperation, public goods, experiment
JEL Classification: H41, M52, C92
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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