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Measuring Norms: A Comparison of the Predictive and Descriptive Power of Three Methods

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  • Bogliacino, Francesco

    (Universidad Nacional de Colombia)

  • Aycinena, Diego

    (Universidad del Rosario)

  • Kimbrough, Erik

Abstract

We analyze and compare three methods of measuring norms: the Krupka and Weber (KW) coordination game, the two-step approach by Bicchieri and Xiao (BX), and a novel Binarized Scoring Method (BSM) we introduce that elicits the full distribution of normative beliefs. We test their effectiveness in two distinctive ways. First, we compare the fit and predictive power of the norms elicited by each method in 3 versions of the dictator game, which differ in how the pie is initially allocated. Then we use vignettes to assess the extent to which the methods can recover existing norms for various naturally occurring settings. We find that the KW method yields better predictive power within a norm-dependent utility model. All 3 methods effectively recover norms in field settings, although KW is more robust to false positives.

Suggested Citation

  • Bogliacino, Francesco & Aycinena, Diego & Kimbrough, Erik, 2023. "Measuring Norms: A Comparison of the Predictive and Descriptive Power of Three Methods," SocArXiv djfw5, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:djfw5
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/djfw5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hoffman Elizabeth & McCabe Kevin & Shachat Keith & Smith Vernon, 1994. "Preferences, Property Rights, and Anonymity in Bargaining Games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 346-380, November.
    2. Erin L. Krupka & Roberto A. Weber, 2013. "Identifying Social Norms Using Coordination Games: Why Does Dictator Game Sharing Vary?," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 495-524, June.
    3. Stephen V. Burks & Erin L. Krupka, 2012. "A Multimethod Approach to Identifying Norms and Normative Expectations Within a Corporate Hierarchy: Evidence from the Financial Services Industry," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(1), pages 203-217, January.
    4. Jason Dana & Roberto Weber & Jason Kuang, 2007. "Exploiting moral wiggle room: experiments demonstrating an illusory preference for fairness," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 33(1), pages 67-80, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Leopoldo Fergusson & José-Alberto Guerra & James A. Robinson, 2024. "Anti-social norms," NBER Working Papers 32717, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
      • Fergusson, Leopoldo & Guerra, José-Alberto & Robinson, James A., 2024. "Anti-social norms," Documentos CEDE 21159, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.

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