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Is The Hand Of God Involved In Human Cooperation?An Experimental Examination Of The Supernatural Punishment Theory

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Author Info
Ahmed, Ali M. () (Centre for Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO))
Salas, Osvaldo () (Centre for Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO))
Abstract

This paper examines the supernatural punishment theory. The theory postulates that religion increases cooperation because religious people fear the retributions that may follow if they do not follow the rules and norms provided by the religion. We report results for a public goods experiment conducted in India, Mexico, and Sweden. By asking participants whether they are religious or not, we study whether religiosity has an effect on voluntary cooperation in the public goods game. We found no significant behavioral differences between religious and nonreligious participants in the experiment.

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File URL: http://www.vxu.se/ehv/filer/forskning/cafo/wps/wps_nek_1_08.pdf
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Centre for Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO), School of Management and Economics, Växjö University in its series CAFO Working Papers with number 2008:1.

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Length: 24 pages
Date of creation: 01 Feb 2008
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:hhs:vxcafo:2008_001

Contact details of provider:
Postal: Centre for Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO), Dept of Economics and Statistics, School of Management and Economics, Växjö University, SE 351 95 Växjö, Sweden
Phone: +46 470 70 87 64
Web page: http://www.vxu.se/ehv/english/research/research_fields/cafo/
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Related research
Keywords: Games; punishment theory; experiments; behavioral economics; religion;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
C71 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Cooperative Games
C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles

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  1. Heath, W. C. & Waters, M. S. & Watson, J. K., 1995. "Religion and economic welfare: An empirical analysis of state per capita income," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 129-142, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Lipford, Jody & McCormick, Robert E. & Tollison, Robert D., 1993. "Preaching matters," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 235-250, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Clive Beed, 2006. "What is the relationship of religion to economics?," Review of Social Economy, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 64(1), pages 21-45, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Hull, Brooks B. & Bold, Frederick, 1995. "Preaching matters: Replication and extension," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 143-149, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Luigi Guiso & Paola Sapienza & Luigi Zingales, 2004. "The Role of Social Capital in Financial Development," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(3), pages 526-556, June. [Downloadable!]
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  6. Tan, Jonathan H.W., 2006. "Religion and social preferences: An experimental study," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 60-67, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. La Porta, Rafael, et al, 1997. "Trust in Large Organizations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(2), pages 333-38, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  8. Heineck, Guido, 2004. "Does religion influence the labor supply of married women in Germany?," The Journal of Socio-Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 307-328, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  9. Brown, Sarah & Taylor, Karl, 2007. "Religion and education: Evidence from the National Child Development Study," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 439-460, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Guiso, Luigi & Sapienza, Paola & Zingales, Luigi, 2003. "People's opium? Religion and economic attitudes," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 225-282, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  11. Mookerjee, Rajen & Beron, Krista, 2005. "Gender, religion and happiness," The Journal of Socio-Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 674-685, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Alesina, Alberto & Baqir, Reza & Easterly, William, 1999. "Public goods and ethnic divisions," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2108, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
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  13. Granger, Maury D. & Price, Gregory N., 2007. "The tree of science and original sin: Do christian religious beliefs constrain the supply of scientists?," The Journal of Socio-Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 144-160, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  14. Videras, Julio, 2006. "Religion and animal welfare: Evidence from voting data," The Journal of Socio-Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 652-659, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  15. Rachel M. McCleary & Robert J. Barro, 2006. "Religion and Economy," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 20(2), pages 49-72, Spring.
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