STRATEGIZING IN SMALL-GROUP DECISION-MAKING - HOST STATE IDENTIFICATION FOR RADIOACTIVE-WASTE DISPOSAL AMONG 8 SOUTHERN STATES

Experimental work in economics has long focussed attention on strategi c interaction amongst individuals. A robust result is that a large fra ction of participants in public goods experiments act cooperatively. T his paper tests for the extent of strategic behavior in a non-laborato ry setting. These data were generated when representatives from eight southeastern states voted to identify one state as host for a regional disposal facility for low-level radioactive waste. We find that no st ate plays its dominant (free-riding) strategy, but none plays in a com pletely cooperative fashion either. This result is similar to that fou nd in laboratory public goods experiments.