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Effects of Parental Background on Other-regarding Preferences in Children

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Listed:
  • MIchal Bauer
  • Julie Chytilova
  • Barbara Pertold-Gebicka

Abstract

Other-regarding preferences are central for the ability to solve collective action problems and thus for society’s welfare. We study how the formation of other-regarding preferences during childhood is related to parental background. Using binary-choice dictator games to classify subjects into other-regarding types, we find that children of less educated parents are less altruistic and more spiteful. This link is robust to controlling for a range of child, family, and peer characteristics, and is attenuated for smarter children. The results suggest that less educated parents are either less efficient to instill social norms or their children less able to acquire them.

Suggested Citation

  • MIchal Bauer & Julie Chytilova & Barbara Pertold-Gebicka, 2011. "Effects of Parental Background on Other-regarding Preferences in Children," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp450, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    • Handle: RePEc:cer:papers:wp450
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah & Deckers, Thomas & Falk, Armin & Kosse, Fabian, 2014. "How Does Socio-Economic Status Shape a Child's Personality?," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100285, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Christoph Bühren & Thorben C. Kundt, 2015. "Imagine being a nice guy: A note on hypothetical vs. incentivized social preferences," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 10(2), pages 185-190, March.
    3. repec:cup:judgdm:v:10:y:2015:i:2:p:185-190 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Margarita G�faro & Ana Maria Ib��ez & Patricia Justino, 2014. "Local Institutions and Armed Group Presence in Colombia," HiCN Working Papers 178, Households in Conflict Network.
    5. Margarita Gáfaro & Ana Maria Ibáñez & Patricia Justino, 2014. "Collective Action and Armed Group Presence in Colombia," Documentos CEDE 11951, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    other-regarding preferences; altruism; spite; experiments with children; family background; education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality

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