Thursday, June 12, 2008

Oman in a Recent Study of Public Good Attitudes

Emirates Economist posted commentary and quotes regarding a Wall Street Journal article about cooperation and free-loading in a public good simulation game. Economists and sociologists set up experiments like this to test how people cooperate or defect in situations regarding public goods. I.E. do people contribute to the public good in these scenarios or free-load?

In the study, researchers found that basic responses were fairly similar across 16 countries surveyed, but differences appeared when subjects were allowed to punish free-loaders.
Among students in the U.S., Switzerland, China and the U.K., those identified as freeloaders most often took their punishment as a spur to contribute more generously. But in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Greece and Russia, the freeloaders more often struck back, retaliating against those who punished them, even against those who had given most to everyone's benefit. It was akin to rapping the knuckles of the helping hand.

In cases where policymakers are seeking cooperation, such as improving road safety, protecting the environment, etc., do such attitudes cripple their efforts? And what about the guy who drives like a psycho, but gets even more psycho when people confront him?

3 comments:

ColOman said...

what do you do for a lviing? you have to many links to sites update regularly? how do you manage?

suonnoch said...

I reported on this on the 13th March http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/index.php?itemid=424#c

Did you find it independently? Or did you use me as a source?

Leo Americanus said...

Suonnoch-
I clearly stated and linked my sources for this post, neither of which were your blog. I resent the petty accusation and don't try to backpedal because your line of thought is clear in your questions. Do not come to my blog and take the haughty tone you do with other bloggers. I will not stand for your supposed-expert tone of talking down to people that I have seen you use elsewhere.