Responder behavior in three-person ultimatum game experiments

We extend the standard ultimatum game to a three person game where the proposer chooses a three-way split of a pie and two responders independently and simultaneously choose to accept or reject the proposal. We investigate whether a responder perceives the other responder as a reference person. We do this by varying the other responder’s payoff in case the responder rejects. Hence, we explore whether reciprocal behavior towards the proposer is affected by the presence of the third player. In three treatments, the third player is either negatively affected, unaffected, or positively affected by the responder’s choice to punish the proposer. We find that responders are very heterogeneous in their actions. Around one half of subjects submit strategies showing no concern for the other responder’s payoffs. Another half of the subject pool submits strategies sensitive to the distribution of the pie among all three players. Preferences for equal splitting of the pie are expressed by less than 10 percent of all responders. JEL Classification Number: A13, C72, C91, D63, Z13