Center for Behavior, Institutions and the Environment / CBIE Working Papers / Cooperation in Asymmetric Commons Dilemmas

Cooperation in Asymmetric Commons Dilemmas

CBIE_WP-2012-012

Abstract

This paper is a study of collective action in asymmetric access to a common resource. An example is an irrigation system with upstream and downstream resource users. While both contribute to the maintenance of the common infrastructure, the upstream participant has rst access to the resource. Results of our two-player asymmetric commons game show that privileged resource access player invest more than the downstream players. Investments by the downstream player into the common resource are rewarded by a higher share from the common resource by the upstream player. Decisions are mainly explained by the levels of trust and trustworthiness. Introducing uncertainty in the production function of the common resource did not aect the results in a signicant way.

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Published December 7, 2012

Irene Perez Ibarra, Arizona State University, Center for Behavior, Institutions and the Environment

Jacopo Baggio, Utah State University

Nathan D. Rollins, Arizona State University, School of Sustainability

Marco Janssen, Arizona State University, School of Sustainability