Tulips and an honour based system: Delta parameters and the willingness to snatch

Starting from an interest in snatching (Schwab and Ostrom 2008) and the role of internalised norms and values (delta parameters) this paper analyses a “snatch game”. It looks at the behaviour of customers picking flowers on a field where the payment is based on the honour system. Peoples’ choices are observed in a natural real live choice situation, which is not a game. Due to transaction cost reasons, the picking and payment of the flowers is neither observed nor are violations enforced. In such a situation the payment should rely entirely on delta parameters. Therefore, the setting provides an optimal setting for studying them. Various research questions are investigated: Is it appropriate to describe the choice situation as a cost-benefit calculus of the customer? Do different socio-demographic variables result in different internal deltas and therefore payment rates? Do people who also face external deltas have higher payment rates? Does the maximising customer snatches more, the more flowers she picks? The paper provides tentative answers to those questions.