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Trust, Trust Games and Stated Trust: Evidence from Rural Bangladesh

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  • Olof Johansson Stenman

    (Göteborg University)

  • Minhaj Mahmud

    (Keele University, Centre for Economic Research and School of Economic and Management Studies)

  • Peter Martinsson

    (Göteborg University)

Abstract

Levels of trust are measured by asking standard survey questions on trust and by observing the behaviour in a trust game using a random sample in rural Bangladesh. Follow-up questions and correlations between stated expectations and the sent amount in the trust game reveal that the amount sent in the trust game is a weak measure of trust. The fear of future punishment, either during or after this life, for not being sufficiently generous to others, was the most frequently stated motive behind the respondents' behaviour, highlighting the potential importance of motives that cannot be inferred directly from people's behaviour.

Suggested Citation

  • Olof Johansson Stenman & Minhaj Mahmud & Peter Martinsson, 2006. "Trust, Trust Games and Stated Trust: Evidence from Rural Bangladesh," Keele Economics Research Papers KERP 2006/11, Centre for Economic Research, Keele University.
    • Handle: RePEc:kee:kerpuk:2006/11
    Note: An earlier version of this paper is available as Working Paper No 168, Department of Economics, Göteborg University, 2005.
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    File URL: http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/ec/wpapers/kerp0611.pdf
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trust; trust game; social capital; motivations; Bangladesh.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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