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Calamities, common interests, shared identity: What shapes social cohesion in Europe?

Author

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  • Aksoy, Cevat Giray
  • Cabrales, Antonio
  • Dolls, Mathias
  • Durante, Ruben
  • Windsteiger, Lisa

Abstract

We conduct a large-scale incentivized survey experiment in nine EU countries to study how priming common economic interests (EU trade), a shared identity (EU common values), and a major health crisis (COVID-19), influences altruism, reciprocity and trust of EU citizens. We find that the COVID-19 treatment increases altruism and reciprocity towards compatriots, as well as altruism towards citizens of other EU countries. The EU common values treatment has similar effects and in addition also boosts reciprocity towards fellow Europeans. The EU trade treatment has no tangible impact on behavior. Trust in others is not affected by any treatment. Our results suggest that both a shared identity and a shared crisis can have a unifying effect among EU citizens, while shared economic interests (alone) do not significantly affect European cohesion.

Suggested Citation

  • Aksoy, Cevat Giray & Cabrales, Antonio & Dolls, Mathias & Durante, Ruben & Windsteiger, Lisa, 2025. "Calamities, common interests, shared identity: What shapes social cohesion in Europe?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 1049-1068.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:53:y:2025:i:4:p:1049-1068
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2025.07.009
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    2. Beetsma, Roel & Burgoon, Brian & Nicoli, Francesco, 2023. "Is european attachment sufficiently strong to support an EU fiscal capacity: Evidence from a conjoint experiment," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Dylong, Patrick & Setzepfand, Paul & Uebelmesser, Silke, 2024. "Priming attitudes toward immigrants: Implications for migration research and survey design," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    4. Gavresi, Despina & Litina, Anastasia, 2023. "Past exposure to macroeconomic shocks and populist attitudes in Europe," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 989-1010.
    5. Galdikiene, Laura & Jaraite, Jurate & Kajackaite, Agne, 2024. "Effects of cooperative and uncooperative narratives on trust during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experimental evidence," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    6. Berggren, Niclas & Bergh, Andreas & Nilsson, Therese, 2025. "Periods of uncertainty are linked to greater acceptance of minorities," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 772-785.
    7. Massimo Arnone & Angelo Leogrande & Carlo Drago & Alberto Costantiello, 2024. "Social Trust and Support Networks: A Regional Analysis of Italy," Working Papers hal-04698270, HAL.
    8. Grewenig, Elisabeth & Lergetporer, Philipp & Simon, Lisa & Werner, Katharina & Woessmann, Ludger, 2023. "Can internet surveys represent the entire population? A practitioners’ analysis," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe
    • P52 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Studies of Particular Economies

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