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Calamities, Common Interests, Shared Identity: What Shapes Altruism and Reciprocity?

Author

Listed:
  • Aksoy, Cevat Giray

    (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

  • Cabrales, Antonio

    (University College London)

  • Dolls, Mathias

    (Ifo Institute for Economic Research)

  • Durante, Ruben

    (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)

  • Windsteiger, Lisa

    (Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance)

Abstract

We conduct a large-scale survey experiment in nine European countries to study how priming a major crisis (COVID-19), common economic interests, and a shared identity influences altruism, reciprocity and trust of EU citizens. We find that priming the COVID-19 pandemic increases altruism and reciprocity towards compatriots, citizens of other EU countries, and non-EU citizens. Priming common European values also boosts altruism and reciprocity but only towards compatriots and fellow Europeans. Priming common economic interests has no tangible impact on behaviour. Trust in others is not affected by any treatment. Our results are consistent with the parochial altruism hypothesis, which asserts that because altruism arises out of inter-group conflict, humans show a tendency to favor members of their own groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Aksoy, Cevat Giray & Cabrales, Antonio & Dolls, Mathias & Durante, Ruben & Windsteiger, Lisa, 2021. "Calamities, Common Interests, Shared Identity: What Shapes Altruism and Reciprocity?," IZA Discussion Papers 14411, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14411
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    Cited by:

    1. Patrick Dylong & Paul Setzepfand & Silke Uebelmesser, 2023. "Priming Attitudes Towards Immigrants: Implications for Migration Research and Survey Design," CESifo Working Paper Series 10306, CESifo.
    2. 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).
    3. 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).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID-19; Europe; altruism; reciprocity; survey experiment;
    All these keywords.

    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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