Punishment’s Role in Voluntary Contribution : An Experimental Analysis on the Elements Influencing Contribution and Punishment

Abstract

How do we know what we know? How do we react to what we know of what has happened to us? How do we choose to decide to act based on those reactions? Where would we end up after all that process? Many studies have been conducted on the subject of human behavior and as we have seen, it is a multidimensional concept. Every decision we make has deeper roots and causes than meets the eye. When those causes are proven, they are considered to be understood and justified. However, those remaining to be proven are still feared or considered to be random. We also know that analyzing and considering the reasons and root causes behind our actions could improve our personal lives as well as our lives in society. Boundaries, rules and policy makings would all improve as the knowledge and understanding grow.

This thesis analyzes some of the elements influencing voluntary contribution and punishment using laboratory experiment sessions, a questionnaire and data from real life board gaming sessions. The results show that the participants make decisions based on various reasons that were caused by their past experiences in the games, their current situation and the future goals and ideals they have. Whether in a person's own decision making process or judgments over actions taken by others, contribution was mostly considered as good. It was rewarded and low contribution was punished. Punishments were mostly considered as good when they were justified in a participant’s mind as serving justice and were considered as cruel when they were not considered fair. Many elements in the experiments’ and causal board gaming sessions caused emotional reactions that resulted in various decisions being made. Generally, knowledge and experience in the situations a person ended up in helped them navigate through emotions and make more satisfying decisions.