IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bpj/rlecon/v21y2026i4p759-791n1002.html

It Takes Two to Tango: Nudging Cooperative Behavior with a Proverb

Author

Listed:
  • Hassan Nourhan A.

    (European Doctorate in Law and Economics, Institute of Law and Economics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

To align private and public interests in social dilemmas, formal regulations have been developed providing enforcement mechanisms to promote cooperation and decrease free riding. Although formal rules sanctioning free riders and rewarding cooperators work in some cases, they are costly to implement. In addition, unless individuals’ behavior is observed and external monitoring is high, these legally binding rules are not effective. In a 2 × 2 lab experimental design, this paper investigates whether a proverb reflecting an injunctive norm of cooperation can foster voluntarily cooperative behavior in a Voluntary Contribution Mechanism (VCM) with low monitoring and no punishment mechanisms. The utilized proverb is found to increase contribution. In addition, the findings show no significant difference between the proverb’s effect and the effect of a non-proverbial injunctive intervention. Moreover, social type is not found to have a moderating effect as there is no significant difference between the responses of prosocials and proselfs to the two injunctive interventions. The results of this paper imply that cultural proverbs could be used by policy makers as a soft low-cost intervention in social marketing campaigns.

Suggested Citation

  • Hassan Nourhan A., 2026. "It Takes Two to Tango: Nudging Cooperative Behavior with a Proverb," Review of Law & Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 21(4), pages 759-791.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:rlecon:v:21:y:2026:i:4:p:759-791:n:1002
    DOI: 10.1515/rle-2024-0054
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/rle-2024-0054
    Download Restriction: For access to full text, subscription to the journal or payment for the individual article is required.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1515/rle-2024-0054?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bernasconi, Michele & Corazzini, Luca & Marenzi, Anna, 2013. "‘Expressive’ obligations in public good games: Crowding-in and crowding-out effects," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 13-24.
    2. J Alberto Molina & J Ignacio Giménez-Nadal & José A Cuesta & Carlos Gracia-Lazaro & Yamir Moreno & Angel Sanchez, 2013. "Gender Differences in Cooperation: Experimental Evidence on High School Students," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(12), pages 1-1, December.
    3. Mertins, Vanessa & Warning, Susanne, 2014. "Greedy and selfish? Differences in fairness preferences of prospective lawyers and managers," Zeitschrift fuer Personalforschung. German Journal of Research in Human Resource Management, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 28(4), pages 410-433.
    4. Peter Drahos, 2004. "The Regulation Of Public Goods," Journal of International Economic Law, Oxford University Press, vol. 7(2), pages 321-339, June.
    5. repec:bla:kyklos:v:54:y:2001:i:2-3:p:317-42 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Roberto Galbiati & Emeric Henry & Nicolas Jacquemet & Max Lobeck, 2021. "How laws affect the perception of norms: Empirical evidence from the lockdown," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-14, September.
    7. Shabnam Mousavi & Gerd Gigerenzer, 2017. "Heuristics are Tools for Uncertainty," Homo Oeconomicus: Journal of Behavioral and Institutional Economics, Springer, vol. 34(4), pages 361-379, December.
    8. Mulder, Laetitia B. & Kurz, Tim & Prosser, Annayah M.B. & Fonseca, Miguel A., 2024. "The presence of laws and mandates is associated with increased social norm enforcement," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    9. Rondeau, Daniel & Poe, Gregory L. & Schulze, William D., 2005. "VCM or PPM? A comparison of the performance of two voluntary public goods mechanisms," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(8), pages 1581-1592, August.
    10. Yanli Wang & Chao Yang & Yanchi Zhang & Xiaoyong Hu, 2021. "Socioeconomic Status and Prosocial Behavior: The Mediating Roles of Community Identity and Perceived Control," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-11, September.
    11. Offerman, Theo & Sonnemans, Joep & Schram, Arthur, 1996. "Value Orientations, Expectations and Voluntary Contributions in Public Goods," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 106(437), pages 817-845, July.
    12. Isabel Richter & John Thøgersen & Christian A. Klöckner, 2018. "A Social Norms Intervention Going Wrong: Boomerang Effects from Descriptive Norms Information," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-20, August.
    13. Xiang Fang & Surendra Singh & Rohini Ahluwalia, 2007. "An Examination of Different Explanations for the Mere Exposure Effect," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 34(1), pages 97-103, March.
    14. Hillenbrand, Adrian & Verrina, Eugenio, 2022. "The asymmetric effect of narratives on prosocial behavior," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 241-270.
    15. Galbiati, Roberto & Vertova, Pietro, 2014. "How laws affect behavior: Obligations, incentives and cooperative behavior," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 48-57.
    16. Casoria, Fortuna & Galeotti, Fabio & Villeval, Marie Claire, 2021. "Perceived social norm and behavior quickly adjusted to legal changes during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 54-65.
    17. Siegwart Lindenberg, 2001. "Intrinsic Motivation in a New Light," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2‐3), pages 317-342, May.
    18. Fortuna Casoria & Fabio Galeotti & Marie Claire Villeval, 2021. "Perceived social norm and behavior quickly adjusted to legal changes during the COVID-19 pandemic," Post-Print hal-03514374, HAL.
    19. Krupka, Erin & Weber, Roberto A., 2009. "The focusing and informational effects of norms on pro-social behavior," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 307-320, June.
    20. Irene Mussio & Angela C. M. Oliveira, 2022. "An (un)healthy social dilemma: a normative messaging field experiment with flu vaccinations," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    21. Dal Bó, Ernesto & Dal Bó, Pedro, 2014. "“Do the right thing:” The effects of moral suasion on cooperation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 28-38.
    22. Igor Asanov & Dominik P. Heinisch & Nhat Luong, 2020. "Folktale Narratives and Economic Behavior," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202009, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    23. Bruno S. Frey & Stephan Meier, 2004. "Social Comparisons and Pro-social Behavior: Testing "Conditional Cooperation" in a Field Experiment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(5), pages 1717-1722, December.
    24. David Gill & Victoria Prowse, 2012. "A Structural Analysis of Disappointment Aversion in a Real Effort Competition," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(1), pages 469-503, February.
    25. Chiara Berneri & Shaun Larcom & Congmin Peng & Po-Wen She, 2024. "The impact of law on moral and social norms: evidence from facemask fines in the UK," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 311-346, June.
    26. Barron, Kai & Nurminen, Tuomas, 2020. "Nudging cooperation in public goods provision," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 88, pages 1-1.
    27. Jack Knight, 1998. "The Bases of Cooperation: Social Norms and the Rule of Law," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 154(4), pages 754-754, December.
    28. Cristina Bicchieri & Eugen Dimant, 2022. "Nudging with care: the risks and benefits of social information," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 191(3), pages 443-464, June.
    29. Crosetto, Paolo & Weisel, Ori & Winter, Fabian, 2019. "A flexible z-Tree and oTree implementation of the Social Value Orientation Slider Measure," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 46-53.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Adi Leibovitch & Doron Teichman, 2025. "Normative Ambiguity, Social Norms, and the Expressive Power of Law," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(4), pages 475-501, December.
    2. Michael Kurschilgen, 2023. "Moral awareness polarizes people’s fairness judgments," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 61(2), pages 339-364, August.
    3. Astrid Dannenberg & Gunnar Gutsche & Marlene Batzke & Sven Christens & Daniel Engler & Fabian Mankat & Sophia Moeller & Eva Weingaertner & Andreas Ernst & Marcel Lumkowsky & Georg von Wangenheim & Ger, 2022. "The effects of norms on environmental behavior," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202219, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    4. Gary Bolton & Eugen Dimant & Ulrich Schmidt, 2018. "When a Nudge Backfires. Using Observation with Social and Economic Incentives to Promote Pro-Social Behavior," PPE Working Papers 0017, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, University of Pennsylvania.
    5. Gary E. Bolton & Eugen Dimant & Ulrich Schmidt, 2020. "When a Nudge Backfires: Combining (Im)Plausible Deniability with Social and Economic Incentives to Promote Behavioral Change," CESifo Working Paper Series 8070, CESifo.
    6. Apffelstaedt, Arno & Freundt, Jana & Oslislo, Christoph, 2022. "Social norms and elections: How elected rules can make behavior (in)appropriate," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 148-177.
    7. Eugen Dimant & Michele Gelfand & Anna Hochleitner & Silvia Sonderegger, 2026. "Divided We Act: The Role of Social Sanctions in a Polarized World," CESifo Working Paper Series 12660, CESifo.
    8. Daniel Schunk & Valentin Wagner, 2020. "What Determines the Enforcement of Newly Introduced Social Norms: Personality Traits or Economic Preferences? Evidence from the COVID-19 Crisis," Working Papers 2024, Gutenberg School of Management and Economics, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz.
    9. Fang, Ximeng & Freyer, Timo & Ho, Chui-Yee & Chen, Zihua & Goette, Lorenz, 2022. "Prosociality predicts individual behavior and collective outcomes in the COVID-19 pandemic," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    10. Barron, Kai & Nurminen, Tuomas, 2020. "Nudging cooperation in public goods provision," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    11. Tom Lane & Daniele Nosenzo & Silvia Sonderegger, 2023. "Law and Norms: Empirical Evidence," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 113(5), pages 1255-1293, May.
    12. Daniel Engler & Marvin Gleue & Gunnar Gutsche & Sophia Möller & Andreas Ziegler, 2025. "The expressive function of legal norms: Experimental evidence from the Supply Chain Act in Germany," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202510, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    13. Eugen Dimant & Michele Gelfand & Anna Hochleitner & Silvia Sonderegger, 2022. "Strategic Behavior with Tight, Loose and Polarized Norms," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 198, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    14. Huang, Chen & Jia, Ning, 2025. "Do policies reshape attitudes? Evidence from maternity leave expansion in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    15. Adrian Hillenbrand & Eugenio Verrina, 2018. "The differential effect of narratives prosocial behavior," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Economics 2018_16, Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Economics, revised Jun 2020.
    16. Eugen Dimant & Michele Gelfand & Anna Hochleitner & Silvia Sonderegger, 2023. "Strategic Behavior with Tight, Loose and Polarized Norms," CESifo Working Paper Series 10233, CESifo.
    17. Peter John Robinson & W. J. Wouter Botzen, 2022. "Setting descriptive norm nudges to promote demand for insurance against increasing climate change risk," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 47(1), pages 27-49, January.
    18. Fanghella, Valeria & Ibanez, Lisette & Thøgersen, John, 2025. "What you don't know, can't hurt you: Avoiding donation requests for environmental causes," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    19. Christian Thoeni & Simon Gaechter, 2011. "Peer Effects and Social Preferences in Voluntary Cooperation," Discussion Papers 2011-09, The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham.
    20. Bruno S. Frey & Roger Lüthi & Margit Osterloh, 2011. "Community Enterprises - Aliens under Attack," CREMA Working Paper Series 2011-08, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • K00 - Law and Economics - - General - - - General (including Data Sources and Description)
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bpj:rlecon:v:21:y:2026:i:4:p:759-791:n:1002. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.degruyterbrill.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.