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Cultural Identity and Social Capital in Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Sgroi, Daniel

    (University of Warwick)

  • Redoano, Michela

    (University of Warwick)

  • Liberini, Federica

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Lockwood, Ben

    (University of Warwick)

  • Bracco, Emanuele

    (Lancaster University)

  • Porcelli, Francesco

    (University of Warwick)

Abstract

In a pre-registered experiment involving 1,547 subjects across three Italian cities we exploit regional variation in background, language and diet to investigate the relationship between cultural identity, trust and cooperation. Subjects with relatives (especially maternal grandmothers) who originate in the north of Italy, and who share common cultural characteristics, contributed 15% more in a public goods game, displayed greater "social capital" such as trust in the government and more willingness to pay taxes, than did those whose language and diet identified them as being from the south. On the other hand, self-reported identity, a mainstay of the survey literature, had no predictive power. This highlights the importance of identity but only when it is measured appropriately.

Suggested Citation

  • Sgroi, Daniel & Redoano, Michela & Liberini, Federica & Lockwood, Ben & Bracco, Emanuele & Porcelli, Francesco, 2020. "Cultural Identity and Social Capital in Italy," IZA Discussion Papers 13783, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13783
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Luigi Guiso & Paola Sapienza & Luigi Zingales, 2016. "Long-Term Persistence," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 14(6), pages 1401-1436, December.
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    1. Lockwood, Ben & Porcelli, Francesco & Redoano, Michela & Bracco, Emanuele & Liberini, Federica & Sgroi, Daniel, 2020. "The Effects of Social Capital on Government Performance and Turnover: Theory and Evidence from Italian Municipalities," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1284, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    2. Luca Di Gialleonardo & Mauro Marè & Antonello Motroni & Francesco Porcelli, 2020. "Family Ties and the Pandemic: Some Evidence from Sars-CoV-2," Working papers 100, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    3. Elizabeth Casabianca & Matija Kovacic, 2022. "Loneliness and health among the elderly.The role of cultural heritage and relationship quality," Working Papers 2022:01, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    4. Matija Kovacic & Cristina Elisa Orso, 2023. "Who’s afraid of immigration? The effect of economic preferences on tolerance," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 36(3), pages 1901-1940, July.
    5. Bracco, Emanuele & Liberini, Federica & Lockwood, Ben & Porcelli, Francesco & Redoano, Michela & Sgroi, Daniel, 2021. "The Effects of Social Capital on Government Performance and Turnover : Theory and Evidence from Italian Municipalities," QAPEC Discussion Papers 04, Quantitative and Analytical Political Economy Research Centre.
    6. Casabianca, Elizabeth & Kovacic, Matija, 2024. "Historical roots of loneliness and its impact on second-generation immigrants’ health," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 407-437.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • C83 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Survey Methods; Sampling Methods
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

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