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Confucianism and Preferences: Evidence from Lab Experiments in Taiwan and China

Author

Listed:
  • Elaine Liu

    () (University of Houston)

  • Juanjuan Meng

    () (Peking University Guanghua School of Management)

  • Joseph Wang

    () (National Taiwan University)

Abstract

This paper investigates how Confucianism affects individual decision making in Taiwan and in China and whether the Cultural Revolution in China, which denounced Confucian teaching, has had a long-lasting impact. We found that Chinese subjects in our experiments became less accepting of Confucian values, such that they became more risk loving, less loss averse, and more impatient after being primed with Confucianism, whereas Taiwanese subjects became more trustworthy and more patient after being primed by Confucianism. Combining the evidence from the incentivized laboratory experiments and subjective survey measures, we found evidence that Chinese subjects and Taiwanese subjects reacted differently to Confucianism.

Suggested Citation

  • Elaine Liu & Juanjuan Meng & Joseph Wang, 2013. "Confucianism and Preferences: Evidence from Lab Experiments in Taiwan and China," Working Papers 2013-199-49, Department of Economics, University of Houston.
    • Handle: RePEc:hou:wpaper:2013-199-49
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kirk, H., 2019. "Cooperation and Creed: An Experimental Study of Religious Affiliation in Strategic and Societal Interactions," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1995, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    2. Alison Booth & Elliott Fan & Xin Meng & Dandan Zhang, 2019. "Gender Differences in Willingness to Compete: The Role of Culture and Institutions," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 129(618), pages 734-764.
    3. David Oliver Kasdan, 2020. "Do Koreans like being nudged? Survey evidence for the contextuality of behavioral public policy," Rationality and Society, , vol. 32(3), pages 313-333, August.
    4. Wang, Shun & Zhou, Weina, 2017. "Family structure and home ownership: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 165-179.
    5. Li, Sherry Xin & de Oliveira, Angela C.M. & Eckel, Catherine, 2017. "Common identity and the voluntary provision of public goods: An experimental investigation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 32-46.
    6. James Andreoni & Charles Sprenger, 2015. "Risk Preferences Are Not Time Preferences: Reply," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(7), pages 2287-2293, July.
    7. Lin, Wanchuan & Liu, Yiming & Meng, Juanjuan, 2014. "The crowding-out effect of formal insurance on informal risk sharing: An experimental study," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 184-211.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    social norm; Confucianism; time preferences; risk aversion; trust;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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