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arXiv · 2509.13887

Can the decoy effect increase cooperation in networks? An experiment

Claudia Cerrone·Francesco Feri·Anita Gantner·Paolo Pin
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Abstract

This paper investigates whether the decoy effect - specifically the attraction effect - can foster cooperation in social networks. In a lab experiment, we show that introducing a dominated option increases the selection of the target choice, especially in early decisions. The effect is stronger in individual settings but persists in networks despite free-riding incentives, with variation depending on the decision-maker's strategic position.

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Claudia Cerrone, Francesco Feri, Anita Gantner, Paolo Pin. 2025-09-17. Can the decoy effect increase cooperation in networks? An experiment. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.13887

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