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Voting to Tell Others

Author

Listed:
  • Stefano DellaVigna
  • John A. List
  • Ulrike Malmendier
  • Gautam Rao

Abstract

Why do people vote? We argue that social image plays a significant role in explaining turnout: people vote because others will ask. The expectation of being asked motivates turnout if individuals derive pride from telling others that they voted, or feel shame from admitting that they did not vote, provided that lying is costly. We design a field experiment to estimate the effect of social image concerns on voting. In a door-to-door survey about election turnout, we experimentally vary (i) the informational content and use of a flyer pre-announcing the survey, (ii) the duration and payment for the survey, and (iii) the incentives to lie about past voting. Our estimates suggest significant social image concerns. For a plausible range of lying costs, we estimate the monetary value of voting `because others will ask' to be in the range of $5-$15 for the 2010 Congressional election. In a complementary get-out-the-vote experiment, we inform potential voters before the election that we will ask them later whether they voted. We find suggestive evidence that the treatment increases turnout.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefano DellaVigna & John A. List & Ulrike Malmendier & Gautam Rao, 2014. "Voting to Tell Others," NBER Working Papers 19832, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:19832
    Note: IO LS PE POL
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies

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