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Does Conflict affect Preferences? Results from Field Experiments in Burundi

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Author Info

  • Maarten Voors

    () (Wageningen University)

  • Eleonora Nillesen

    () (Wageningen University)

  • Philip Verwimp

    () (University of Antwerp)

  • Erwin Bulte

    () (Wageningen University)

  • Robert Lensink

    () (Wageningen University)

  • Daan van Soest

    () (VU University Amsterdam)

Abstract

We use experimental data from 35 randomly selected communities in Burundi to examine the impact of exposure to conflict on social-, risk- and time preferences. These types of preferences are important as they determine people’s propensity to invest and their ability to overcome social dilemmas, so that changes therein foster or hinder economic growth. We find that conflict affects preferences. Individuals that have been exposed to greater levels of violence display more altruistic behavior towards their neighbors, are more risk seeking, and have higher discount rates. Adverse, but temporary, shocks can thus alter savings and investments decisions, and potentially have long-run consequences.

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File URL: http://www.microconflict.eu/publications/RWP21_MVetal.pdf
File Function: First version, 2010
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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by MICROCON - A Micro Level Analysis of Violent Conflict in its series Research Working Papers with number 21.

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Length: 45 pages
Date of creation: 2010
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:mcn:rwpapr:21

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Related research

Keywords: civil war; preferences; field experiments; Africa;

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References

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Blog mentions

As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
  1. Violence leads to social cohesion and political activation: The evidence base grows
    by Chris Blattman in Chris Blattman on 2011-08-23 10:52:16
  2. Does surviving violence make you a better person?
    by Jesse Anttila-Hughes in Fight Entropy on 2012-04-19 11:30:00
  3. Facts about Juba
    by Dany Jaimovich - Bakary Baludin in Development Therapy on 2012-04-23 08:51:00
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