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Cooperation, framing and political attitudes

Author

Listed:
  • Toke R. Fosgaard

    (Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen)

  • Lars G. Hansen

    (Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen)

  • Erik Wengström

    (Department of Economics, Lund University
    Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen)

Abstract

This paper shows that political attitudes are linked to cooperative behavior in an incentivized experiment with a large sample randomly drawn from the Danish population. However, this relationship depends on the way the experiment is framed. In the standard game in which subjects give to a public good, contributions are the same regardless of political attitudes. In an economically equivalent version, in which subjects take from a public good, left-wingers cooperate significantly more than subjects in the middle or to the right of the political spectrum. Through simulation techniques we find that this difference in the framing effect across political point of views is to some extent explained by differences in beliefs and basic cooperation preferences.

Suggested Citation

  • Toke R. Fosgaard & Lars G. Hansen & Erik Wengström, 2017. "Cooperation, framing and political attitudes," IFRO Working Paper 2017/02, University of Copenhagen, Department of Food and Resource Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:foi:wpaper:2017_02
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    File URL: http://okonomi.foi.dk/workingpapers/WPpdf/WP2017/IFRO_WP_2017_02.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hedegaard, Morten & Kerschbamer, Rudolf & Müller, Daniel & Tyran, Jean-Robert, 2021. "Distributional preferences explain individual behavior across games and time," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 231-255.
    2. Qingzhou Sun & Haozhi Guo & Jiarui Wang & Jing Zhang & Chengming Jiang & Yongfang Liu, 2021. "Differences in cooperation between social dilemmas of gain and loss," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 16(6), pages 1506-1524, November.
    3. Kerschbamer, Rudolf & Müller, Daniel, 2020. "Social preferences and political attitudes: An online experiment on a large heterogeneous sample," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    4. Momsen, Katharina & Ohndorf, Markus, 2023. "Information avoidance: Self-image concerns, inattention, and ideology," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 386-400.
    5. Helénsdotter, Ronja, 2019. "Experimental Evidence on Cooperation, Political Affiliation, and Group Size," Working Papers in Economics 765, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    6. repec:cup:judgdm:v:16:y:2021:i:6:p:1506-1524 is not listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cooperation; Social Dilemma; Political Ideology; Experiment; Simulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles

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