Using Context in Classroom Experiments: A Public Goods Example

The public good experiment has been used as both a teaching and research tool. In almost all instances it has been designed without reference to a specific public good or real-world application.This is done so that participants' feelings or experiences involving the public good do not affect their behaviour. In a teaching environment, however, the addition of context can further student understanding of the public good experiment and its applications to real-world issues. This paper shows how two farm marketing problems can be illustrated through the use of the public good experiment by adding context.The experiment also incorporates the idea of a communication period, with students being encouraged to find a solution to free riding as a lesson in the difficulties inherent with collusive agreements.