Revealed social preferences and joint forest management outcomes

- Role of social preferences explored in variation of JFM outcomes
- Public goods game used to find out revealed social preferences
- Positive correlation found between allocation in the game and JFM success
- Reciprocity observed in successful and commitment in unsuccessful JFM
- Socioeconomic factors did not consistently explain individuals' preferences.

We explored the role of revealed social preferences in the variation of JFM outcomes. To find out the social preferences of villagers, public goods game was organized in five randomly chosen villages in central India. At the village level, strong positive correlation was found between the average allocation to public good in the game and success of JFM in the village. In two villages, which had high success in JFM, villagers' social preferences were reciprocity, while in three other villages, which had moderate to low success in JFM, villagers' social preferences were commitment. We also found that demographic, economic, and social factors did not consistently explain individuals' preferences.