<p>The research found is phrased in the converse, that is, does anonymity increase risky behaviour. The research found also equates risky behaviour with anti-social behaviour which may, or may not, apply to the example of making transparent casino wins and losses.</p>
<p>Mathes and Guest (1976) concluded that anonymity, either by disguise or by being one member of a larger group, does contribute to the willingness to engage in anti-social (risky) behaviour. Ellison-Potter and Deffenbacher (2001) made similar findings and concluded that <em>Participants drove more aggressively when they were anonymous</em>.</p>
<p>Chui (2014) differentiated the above research and found that anonymity itself does not cause antisocial behaviour, however, it does appear to facilitate antisocial behaviour for individuals predisposed to it. D’Agata and Kwantes (2020) <em>hypothesized that feelings of disinhibition in the online realm would be strongly related to engaging in risky behaviors</em>. They also concluded that anonymity does not cause antisocial behaviour but facilitated risky behaviour for individuals with certain personality traits.</p>
<p>Your excellent question has relevance for public policy! In particular would the privity of individuals be outweighed by the desire to avoid the negative individual, family and societal outcomes of gambling.</p>
<p><strong>References</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><p>Mathes, E.W. and Guest, T.A. (1976) Anonymity and Group Antisocial Behavior, The Journal of Social Psychology, 100:2, 257-262, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1976.9711936" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1976.9711936</a></p>
</li>
<li><p>Ellison-Potter, P., Bell, P. and Deffenbacher, J. (2001), The Effects of Trait Driving Anger, Anonymity, and Aggressive Stimuli on Aggressive Driving Behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 31: 431-443. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb00204.x" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb00204.x</a></p>
</li>
<li><p>Chui, R. (2014), A Multi-faceted Approach to Anonymity Online: Examining the Relations between Anonymity and Antisocial Behaviour. Journal of Virtual World Research. 7:2 <a href="https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v7i2.7073" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v7i2.7073</a></p>
</li>
<li><p>D’Agata, M.T., and Kwantes, P.J. (2020) Personality Factors Predicting Disinhibited and Risky Online Behaviors. Journal of Individual Differences 2020 41:4, 199-206 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000321" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000321</a></p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-03T20:12:02.053Z
Thank you for your insightful and thoughtful answer. I was also thinking of an economic or cooperative environment. For example, would an investor be more risk-averse if all of his gains are losses were made public, same for a stock-trader or private vs public companies, Would solely the fact privacy would make them less risk-averse? In other words, if only the probability of public (or semipublic) social "mockery" would make a person less risk-averse. Social pressure on risk-taking. social aspect, would a person be more open to a relationship if said person doesn't disclose to other peers.
elioth
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-03T16:35:16.837Z
2021-06-03T16:35:16.837Z
Tony Mobbs
<p>I was wondering if anonymity decreases risk-aversion? And if there are studies made in this subject already from which this could be further researched.</p>
<p>For example. If we imagine a public casino where people wins and loses will be made public for everyone to see, would decrease the amount of risk taken vs a fully private casino.</p>
<p>And I would like to know if know is this behaviour would extrapolate to other situation, like in social interactions (relationships)</p>

<behavior><social>
Does anonymity decrease risk aversion?
elioth
# Does anonymity decrease risk aversion?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-06-03)

I was wondering if anonymity decreases risk-aversion? And if there are studies made in this subject already from which this could be further researched.

For example. If we imagine a public casino where people wins and loses will be made public for everyone to see, would decrease the amount of risk taken vs a fully private casino.

And I would like to know if know is this behaviour would extrapolate to other situation, like in social interactions (relationships)

**Tags:** behavior, social


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-06-03. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

The research found is phrased in the converse, that is, does anonymity increase risky behaviour. The research found also equates risky behaviour with anti-social behaviour which may, or may not, apply to the example of making transparent casino wins and losses.

Mathes and Guest (1976) concluded that anonymity, either by disguise or by being one member of a larger group, does contribute to the willingness to engage in anti-social (risky) behaviour. Ellison-Potter and Deffenbacher (2001) made similar findings and concluded that *Participants drove more aggressively when they were anonymous*.

Chui (2014) differentiated the above research and found that anonymity itself does not cause antisocial behaviour, however, it does appear to facilitate antisocial behaviour for individuals predisposed to it. D’Agata and Kwantes (2020) *hypothesized that feelings of disinhibition in the online realm would be strongly related to engaging in risky behaviors*. They also concluded that anonymity does not cause antisocial behaviour but facilitated risky behaviour for individuals with certain personality traits.

Your excellent question has relevance for public policy! In particular would the privity of individuals be outweighed by the desire to avoid the negative individual, family and societal outcomes of gambling.

**References**

* Mathes, E.W. and Guest, T.A. (1976) Anonymity and Group Antisocial Behavior, The Journal of Social Psychology, 100:2, 257-262, <https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1976.9711936>
* Ellison-Potter, P., Bell, P. and Deffenbacher, J. (2001), The Effects of Trait Driving Anger, Anonymity, and Aggressive Stimuli on Aggressive Driving Behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 31: 431-443. <https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb00204.x>
* Chui, R. (2014), A Multi-faceted Approach to Anonymity Online: Examining the Relations between Anonymity and Antisocial Behaviour. Journal of Virtual World Research. 7:2 <https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v7i2.7073>
* D’Agata, M.T., and Kwantes, P.J. (2020) Personality Factors Predicting Disinhibited and Risky Online Behaviors. Journal of Individual Differences 2020 41:4, 199-206 <https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000321>

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you for your insightful and thoughtful answer. I was also thinking of an economic or cooperative environment. For example, would an investor be more risk-averse if all of his gains are losses were made public, same for a stock-trader or private vs public companies, Would solely the fact privacy would make them less risk-averse? In other words, if only the probability of public (or semipublic) social "mockery" would make a person less risk-averse. Social pressure on risk-taking. social aspect, would a person be more open to a relationship if said person doesn't disclose to other peers.  

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