An experimental study of finitely and infinitely repeated linear public goods games

A growing literature in experimental economics examines the conditions under which cooperation can be sustained in social dilemma settings. In particular, several recent studies contrast cooperation levels in games in which the number of decision rounds is probabilistic to games in which the number of decision rounds is finite. We contribute to this literature by contrasting the evolution of cooperation in probabilistically and finitely repeated linear voluntary contribution public goods games (VCM). Consistent with past results, cooperation increases in MPCR, and in group size, holding MPCR constant. We also find, as the number of decision sequences increase, there is a pronounced decrease in cooperation in the final round of finite sequences compared to those with a probabilistic end round. We do not, however, find strong evidence that overall cooperation rates are affected by whether the number of decision rounds is finite or determined probabilistically.