Assortative Matching, Information and Cooperation: An Experiment

Abstract

Yang et al.(2007) show that assortative matching mechanisms can induce a high level of cooperation to prevail in repeated prisoners' dilemma experiments, but societies may also head to an all-defection state rapidly. Here, we additionally provide information on income distribution and show that cooperation significantly increases overall. Moreover, the effect can be traced back to a higher cooperation rate for people in the lowest income classes.