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Directed Altruism and Enforced Reciprocity in Social Networks

Author

Listed:
  • Stephen Leider

    (Ross School of Business)

  • Markus Mobius
  • Tanya Rosenblat
  • Quoc-Anh Do

    (Singapore Management University)

Abstract

We conducted online field experiments in large real-world social networks in order to decompose prosocial giving into three components: (1) baseline altruism toward randomly selected strangers, (2) directed altruism that favors friends over random strangers, and (3) giving motivated by the prospect of future interaction. Directed altruism increases giving to friends by 52% relative to random strangers, whereas future interaction effects increase giving by an additional 24% when giving is socially efficient. This finding suggests that future interaction affects giving through a repeated game mechanism where agents can be rewarded for granting efficiency-enhancing favors. We also find that subjects with higher baseline altruism have friends with higher baseline altruism.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Leider & Markus Mobius & Tanya Rosenblat & Quoc-Anh Do, 2009. "Directed Altruism and Enforced Reciprocity in Social Networks," Sciences Po publications info:hdl:2441/14otokka698, Sciences Po.
    • Handle: RePEc:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/14otokka698nb83lk2n7bhqbo2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stephen Leider & Markus M. Möbius & Tanya Rosenblat & Quoc-Anh Do, 2009. "Directed Altruism and Enforced Reciprocity in Social Networks," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(4), pages 1815-1851.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social network; Reciprocity; Altruism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General

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