Interpersonal allocation behavior in a household savings experiment

We investigate the intertemporal and interpersonal allocation behavior ofspouses with different deterministic life expectations in an experiment. In eachperiod of their life both partners propose a consumption level one of which isthen randomly implemented. In spite of the complex dynamics optimal behavioris rather simple and straightforward in the sense of conditional consumptionsmoothing. A substantial number of participants does not care whethertheir partner receives any payoff. This selfish behavior is punished by their partners.On average participants stay on egoistic consumption paths, although inlater periods their behavior shifts in the direction of consumption paths leadingto equal payoffs.