A large literature of experimental research from different disciplines has demonstrated the positive welfare effects of simply allowing subjects to communicate with each other in common pool resource settings.1 Communication
can be effective because it allows participants to (1) share information about the nature of the game, its incentives, and decisions that maximize group payoffs; (2) coordinate their actions and send signals about intentions;
(3) express displeasure about undesirable or unacceptable outcomes; (4) reduce social distance
among group members; and (5) punish uncooperative behavior, for example, by agreeing not to cooperate in future periods if total group harvest exceeds some threshold.