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Are some people more equal than others? Experimental evidence on group identity and income inequality

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  • Lustenhouwer, Joep
  • Makarewicz, Tomasz
  • Peña, Juan Carlos
  • Proaño Acosta, Christian

Abstract

We investigate the effects of group identity and income inequality on social preferences and polarization by means of a laboratory experiment. We split our subjects into two populations: in-group (representing "natives") and out-group ("migrants"). In-group subjects repeatedly vote whether an unemployment insurance should cover all, some, or no members of their group. By means of a two-by-two design we disentangle the effect of group identity from those of income inequality. Among others, our experiment yields the following findings: (1) subjects tend to vote for less inclusive insurance schemes when they sample a higher chance of employment; however, (2) in-group subjects with an ex ante more beneficial distribution of employment chances - relative to the out-group - are less selfish and vote for more inclusive insurance schemes; (3) ex ante more beneficial relative employment chances of in-group subjects also leads to less polarization; and (4) revelation and priming of group identity does not lead to discrimination against out-group "migrants" but, on the contrary, can lead to more compassionate and inclusive attitudes.

Suggested Citation

  • Lustenhouwer, Joep & Makarewicz, Tomasz & Peña, Juan Carlos & Proaño Acosta, Christian, 2021. "Are some people more equal than others? Experimental evidence on group identity and income inequality," BERG Working Paper Series 168, Bamberg University, Bamberg Economic Research Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:bamber:168
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Income Inequality; Political Polarization; Migration; Economic Voting Behavior; Group Identity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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