Reference no: EM132391286
Question.
The homo economicus view of man's behaviour as applied to the bulk of finance theory portrays decision makers and being both self-interested and rational. Neoclassical economics makes some fundamental assumptions about people:
1. People have rational preferences across possible outcomes or states of nature.
2. People maximize utility and firms maximize profits.
3. People make independent decisions based on all relevant information.
In light of the following hypothetical experiments, discuss the above
Experiment 1:
Ten people are in Room X (givers) with a further ten people in Room Y (takers). Each giver in Room X will be paired with a taker in Room Y although they will not know the identity of the other. Givers have been given $20 and can transfer any part of their $20 to a taker in Room Y.
Takers can either choose to keep the amount sent, in which case the amount proposed is final or else reject the amount sent, in which case both individuals receive nothing. That is, you can send any dollar amount from $0 to $20 and the taker can accept this offer, or reject it, in which case you both receive nothing. For example, If the taker accepts and you send $10, you keep $20 - $10.
You are a giver. How much do you give?
Experiment 2:
Ten people are in Room X (givers) with a further ten people in Room Y (takers). Each giver in Room X will be paired with a receiver in Room Y although they will not know the identity of the other. Givers in Room X have been given $20 and can transfer any part of their $20 to a taker in Room Y. The taker cannot reject the amount sent.
You are a giver. How much do you send? For example, If you send $10, you keep $20 - $10.
Experiment 3:
Ten people are in Room X (givers) with a further ten people in Room Y (returnee). Each giver in Room X will be paired with a returnee in Room Y although they will not know the identity of the other. Givers have been given $20 and can transfer any portion of their $20 to a returnee in Room Y.
Every dollar sent by a giver is tripled on receipt by the returnee. Returnees have the ability to send money back to the givers which would range between $0 and three times the amount received.
You are a giver. How much do you send?