Author: David A. Kravitz
Title: Effects of resources and alternatives on coalition formation.
Source: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 87-98. 1981.
Abstract:
Previous research has indicated that coalition formation is influenced by the
players' resources and alternatives (game structure). Unfortunately, on almost
all occasions when both resources and game structure have been varied, they
have been confounded. In the present study, four different four-person simple
games were used, based on the same distribution of resources. These games were
played both with and without resources being assigned. Thus, resource assignment
and game structure were not confounded. Coalition frequencies and reward divisions
were minimally influenced by assigned resources. Coalition frequency was inversely
related to coalition size. Players' outcomes were inversely related to the size
of the winning coalition and directly related to the number of their alternative
small coalitions. Players' mean payoffs over all trials were related to the
number and mean size of their minimal winning coalitions, relative to the other
players. Implications for coalition theories are discussed.
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