Intergroup competition for public goods: Effects of unequal resources and relative group size.

Studied single-stage intergroup competition for public goods in small groups with total resources of equal size and binary contributions. In Experiment 1, the two competing groups were of equal size, but the individual resources (endowments) within each group differed from one member to another. The main finding was a negative relation between the endowment size and the likelihood of contribution. In Experiment 2, the ratio of public good to endowment was the same for all members of both groups, but sizes of the groups were unequal. We found no effect of group size per se on level of contribution. Theoretical and methodological implication of the findings are briefly discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)