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Discrimination in the Provision of Social Services to the Poor: A Field Experimental Study

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Author Info
Juan Camilo Cardenas
Natalia Candelo
Alejandro Gaviria
Sandra Polania
Rajiv Sethi

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Abstract

This paper uses an experimental field approach to investigate the pro-social preferences and behavior of social services providers and the behavior of potential beneficiaries in Bogota, Colombia. Field experiments were conducted using games including a newly designed Distributive Dictator Game in order to examine traits and mechanisms guiding pro-sociality. Replicating the patterns of previous studies, individuals showed a preference for fair outcomes, positive levels of trust and reciprocity, and willingness to punish unfair outcomes. The results provide evidence that the poor trigger more pro-social behavior from all citizens, including public servants, but the latter display strategic generosity. Additional observations include a bias in favor of women and households with more dependents, but discriminatory behavior against stigmatized groups.

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Paper provided by Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department in its series RES Working Papers with number 3247.

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Date of creation: Apr 2008
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Handle: RePEc:idb:wpaper:3247

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Ernst Fehr & Urs Fischbacher, 2004. "Third-party punishment and social norms," Experimental 0409002, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
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  2. Christina M. Fong & Samuel Bowles & Herbert Gintis, 2005. "Behavioural Motives for Income Redistribution," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 38(3), pages 285-297, 09. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Ernst Fehr & Simon Gaechter, 2003. "Altruistic Punishment in Humans," Microeconomics 0305006, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  4. Shubham Chaudhuri & Rajiv Sethi, 2003. "Statistical discrimination with neighborhood effects: Can integration eliminate negative stereotypes?," Discussion Papers 0304-09, Columbia University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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  5. Guth, Werner & Schmittberger, Rolf & Schwarze, Bernd, 1982. "An experimental analysis of ultimatum bargaining," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 367-388, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Samuel Bowles & Herbert Gintis, 2000. "Walrasian Economics In Retrospect," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 115(4), pages 1411-1439, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  7. Marianne Bertrand & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2004. "Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market Discrimination," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(4), pages 991-1013, September. [Downloadable!]
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  8. Jeffery Carpenter & Juan Camilo Cardenas, 2006. "Behavioural Development Economics: Lessons from field labs in the developing world," Middlebury College Working Paper Series 0616, Middlebury College, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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  9. Kahneman, Daniel & Knetsch, Jack L & Thaler, Richard, 1986. "Fairness as a Constraint on Profit Seeking: Entitlements in the Market," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(4), pages 728-41, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Berg Joyce & Dickhaut John & McCabe Kevin, 1995. "Trust, Reciprocity, and Social History," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 122-142, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  1. Alberto Chong & Hugo Ñopo, 2007. "Discrimination in Latin America: An Elephant in the Room?," RES Working Papers 4536, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
  2. Gustavo Adolfo García Cruz. & Luís Miguel Tovar Cuevas, 2006. "La Percepción del Estado de Salud: Una Mirada a las Regiones desde la Encuesta de Calidad de Vida 2003," DOCUMENTOS DE TRABAJO-CIDSE 003972, UNIVERSIDAD DEL VALLE - CIDSE. [Downloadable!]
  3. Luís Miguel Tovar Cuevas & Gustavo Adolfo García Cruz, 2006. "El entorno regional y la percepción del estado de salud en Colombia, 2003," Lecturas de Economía, Universidad de Antioquia, Departamento de Economía, issue 65, pages 177-208, Julio-Dic. [Downloadable!]
  4. Alberto Chong & Hugo Ñopo, 2007. "Discriminación en América Latina: Eso que (casi) todos vemos? (Discrimination in Latin America: An Elephant in the Room?)," RES Working Papers 4537, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
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