One party sends resources hoping for voluntary return; the amount sent measures trust and the amount returned measures trustworthiness.
Berg, Dickhaut and McCabe's 1995 design. Senders typically send about half and receivers return slightly more than was sent, which is enough to make trust profitable and not enough to make it safe.
In practice
- A supplier ships before payment on a new account, is paid slightly early in return, and neither party could have written that into the contract.
- A landlord returns a deposit in full without an inspection, and the tenant recommends the flat to two colleagues.