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Image versus Information: Changing Societal Norms and Optimal Privacy

Author

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  • S. Nageeb Ali
  • Roland Bénabou

Abstract

We analyze the costs and benefits of using social image to foster desirable behaviors. Each agent acts based on his intrinsic motivation, private assessment of the public good, and reputational concern for appearing prosocial. A Principal sets the general degree of privacy, observes the social outcome, and implements a policy: investment, subsidy, law, etc. Individual visibility reduces free riding but makes aggregate behavior ("descriptive norm") less informative about societal preferences ("prescriptive norm"). We derive the level of privacy (and material incentives) that optimally trades off social enforcement and learning, and we characterize its variations with the economy's stochastic and informational structure.

Suggested Citation

  • S. Nageeb Ali & Roland Bénabou, 2020. "Image versus Information: Changing Societal Norms and Optimal Privacy," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 12(3), pages 116-164, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmic:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:116-64
    DOI: 10.1257/mic.20180052
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    Cited by:

    1. Roberto Galbiati & Emeric Henry & Nicolas Jacquemet, 2024. "Learning to cooperate in the shadow of the law," Journal of the Economic Science Association, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 10(2), pages 165-198, December.
    2. Chen, Shuai & Powdthavee, Nattavudh & Wiese, Juliane, 2024. "Do beliefs in the model minority stereotype reduce attention to inequality that adversely affects Asian Americans?," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1449, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Lo Prete, Anna & Sacchi, Agnese, 2025. "Government spending and civic engagement: exploring the role of civil society participation and voting in 28 democracies," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202513, University of Turin.
    4. Piermont, Evan, 2025. "Images and norms," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    5. Kirsten Hillebrand & Lars Hornuf, 2021. "The Social Dilemma of Big Data: Donating Personal Data to Promote Social Welfare," CESifo Working Paper Series 8926, CESifo.
    6. Kathrin Manthei & Dirk Sliwka & Timo Vogelsang, 2023. "Talking About Performance or Paying for It? A Field Experiment on Performance Reviews and Incentives," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(4), pages 2198-2216, April.
    7. Matthias Lang, 2020. "Mechanism Design with Narratives," CESifo Working Paper Series 8502, CESifo.
    8. von Essen, Emma & Jansson, Joakim, 2020. "Misogynistic and Xenophobic Hate Language Online: A Matter of Anonymity," Working Paper Series 1350, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    9. Mazyaki, Ali & van der Weele, Joël, 2019. "On esteem-based incentives," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    10. Francesconi, Marco & Nicoletti, Cheti & Cavapozzi, Danilo, 2021. "The Impact of Gender Role Norms on Mothers’ Labor Supply," CEPR Discussion Papers 15957, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Philippe Aghion & Roland Bénabou & Ralf Martin & Alexandra Roulet, 2023. "Environmental Preferences and Technological Choices: Is Market Competition Clean or Dirty?," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 5(1), pages 1-20, March.
    12. Cavapozzi, Danilo & Francesconi, Marco & Nicoletti, Cheti, 2021. "The impact of gender role norms on mothers’ labor supply," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 113-134.
    13. Leonardo Bursztyn & Alessandra L. González & David Yanagizawa-Drott, 2018. "Misperceived Social Norms: Female Labor Force Participation in Saudi Arabia," NBER Working Papers 24736, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Ronen Gradwohl & Rann Smorodinsky, 2021. "Privacy, Patience, and Protection," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 759-784, December.
    15. Ackfeld, Viola & Güth, Werner, 2023. "Personal information disclosure under competition for benefits: Is sharing caring?," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 1-32.
    16. Henry, Emeric & Sonntag, Jan, 2019. "Measuring image concern," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 19-39.
    17. Rehse, Dominik & Tremöhlen, Felix, 2020. "Fostering participation in digital public health interventions: The case of digital contact tracing," ZEW Discussion Papers 20-076, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    18. Fluet, Claude & Mungan, Murat C., 2022. "Laws and norms with (un)observable actions," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    19. Fuhai Hong & Larry Karp & Tat-How Teh, 2021. "Identity in public goods contribution," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 57(3), pages 617-664, October.
    20. Fernández-Duque, Mauricio, 2022. "The probability of pluralistic ignorance," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    21. Moisson, Paul-Henri, 2024. "Meritocracy and Inequality," TSE Working Papers 24-1518, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE), revised Apr 2024.
    22. Zhuang Liu & Michael Sockin & Wei Xiong, 2021. "Data Privacy and Temptation," Working Papers 2021-77, Princeton University. Economics Department..
    23. Rehse, Dominik & Tremöhlen, Felix, 2022. "Fostering participation in digital contact tracing," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    24. Ingela Alger & Sergey Gavrilets & Patrick Durkee, 2024. "Proximate and ultimate drivers of norms and norm change," Post-Print hal-04730213, HAL.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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