Observational Learning and Conformity : Experimental Evidence

People often conform to others either pro-socially or self-interestedly. By conducting modified dictator game experiments where subjects observe others’ behaviors, this study analyzes how observational learning influences subjects’ conforming/non-conforming and pro-social/self-interested behavioral changes. The main results are as follows: (1) self-interested conformity was most frequently observed, followed by pro-social conformity, self-interested non-conformity, and pro-social non-conformity; (2) the observational learning induces both pro-social conformity and self-interested conformity; and (3) the observational learning enhances the degree of self-interested conformity, but not pro-social conformity. These results suggest that the subject's utility is increasing in their payoffs and decreasing in the relative social preference