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on Social Norms and Social Capital |
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Issue of 2025–03–17
ten papers chosen by Fabio Sabatini, Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza” |
| By: | Depetris Chauvin, Emilio |
| Abstract: | Using multiple waves of two public opinion surveys and a two-way fixed effect model, this paper analyzes how people’s perceptions and attitudes towards public institutions shifted with the business cycle in El Salvador during 2004–2018. It finds that individuals’ levels of trust toward both the president and the municipal government are positively associated with higher levels of income at the municipality level. Income is also a strong predictor of trust in mass media, confidence in the judicial system and, to a lesser extent, trust in the national legislature but income does not affect trust in the Catholic Church. The relationship between income and trust toward the president and municipalities masks a relevant heterogeneity from a rural-urban divide as well as from differences in municipal state capacity. Further, views of income distribution fairness as well as preferences for democracy are positively shaped by municipality-specific business cycles. In contrast, neither generalized trust nor satisfaction with democracy is empirically associated with income at the municipality level. |
| Date: | 2023–03–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10372 |
| By: | Caterina Cruciani (University of Ca’ Foscari [Venice, Italy]); Carlo Romano Marcello Alessandro Santagiustina (médialab - médialab (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po, University of Ca’ Foscari [Venice, Italy]); Costanza Sartoris (University of Ca’ Foscari [Venice, Italy]); Massimo Warglien (University of Ca’ Foscari [Venice, Italy]) |
| Abstract: | The survey focuses on different experimental paradigms and the implications of previous experimental work for understanding the causal antecedents of trust and conflictual language in social media, bridging different literatures and traditions of empirical research on trust. It provides a structured framework to analyze trust and understand the role of language for the emergence of collaborative or conflictual language within social media. |
| Keywords: | Social media, Trust, Trust games, Behavioural Economics, Collaborative language, Conflictual language, Experimental economics, Trust experiments, Trust Behavior |
| Date: | 2024–11–19 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04922031 |
| By: | Pecorari, Natalia Gisel; Cuesta Leiva, Jose Antonio |
| Abstract: | This paper advances the understanding of the linkages between trust in government and citizen participation in Latin America and the Caribbean, using machine learning techniques and Latinobarómetro 2020 data. Proponents of the concept of stealth democracy argue that an inverse relationship exists between political trust and citizen participation, while deliberative democracy theorists claim the opposite. The paper estimates that trust in national governments or other governmental institutions plays neither a dominant nor consistent role in driving political participation. Instead, interest in politics, personal circumstances such as experience of crime and discrimination, and socioeconomic aspects appear to drive citizen participation much more strongly in the Latin America and the Caribbean region. This is true across models imposing simple linear trends (logit and lasso) and others allowing for nonlinear and complex relations (decision trees). The results vary across the type of participation—signing a petition, participation in demonstrations, or involvement in a community issue—which the paper attributes to increasing net costs associated with participation. |
| Date: | 2023–03–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10335 |
| By: | Evsyukova, Yulia; Rusche, Felix; Mill, Wladislaw |
| Abstract: | We assess the impact of discrimination on Black individuals' job networks across the U.S. using a two-stage field experiment with 400+ fictitious LinkedIn profiles. In the first stage, we vary race via AI-generated images only and find that Black profiles' connection requests are 13 percent less likely to be accepted. Based on users' CVs, we find widespread discrimination across social groups. In the second stage, we exogenously endow Black and White profiles with the same networks and ask connected users for career advice. We find no evidence of direct discrimination in information provision. However, when taking into account differences in the composition and size of networks, Black profiles receive substantially fewer replies. Our findings suggest that gatekeeping is a key driver of Black-White disparities. |
| Keywords: | Discrimination, Job Networks, Labor Markets, Field Experiment |
| JEL: | J71 J15 C93 J46 D85 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:312188 |
| By: | Brar, Rajdev Kaur; Buehren, Niklas; Papineni, Sreelakshmi; Sulaiman, Munshi |
| Abstract: | Gender inequality and restrictive norms are often reinforced and internalized during adolescence, influencing pivotal life choices. This paper presents results from a randomly-assigned gender norms intervention for young adolescents in Somalia that led to greater support for gender equality in reported attitudes among both girls and boys. In a novel lab-in-the-field experiment designed to observe social group dynamics, treated adolescents were also found to be less likely to succumb to peer pressure to conform when stating their gender attitudes in public. Perceptions of gender norms appears to shift for boys, leading to a greater public expression of gender egalitarian ideals. Furthermore, the findings show improved adolescent mental health, increased caring behavior towards siblings of the opposite sex, and a higher likelihood of involvement in household chores by boys. A complementary gender norms intervention for parents had limited marginal impact on the attitudes and behaviors of adolescents. The results suggest that gender norms interventions can be effective in influencing the attitudes and public discourse around gender equality, even in early adolescence. |
| Date: | 2023–09–13 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10567 |
| By: | Michael Bailey; Drew M. Johnston; Theresa Kuchler; Ayush Kumar; Johannes Stroebel |
| Abstract: | We introduce, analyze, and describe subnational data on cross-gender friendships for nearly 200 countries and territories, using data from 1.38 trillion ties between 1.8 billion Facebook users. Homophily by gender exists nearly everywhere, with individuals' strongest ties exhibiting less homophily than their peripheral connections. Across countries, cross-gender friendship rates align with existing measures of gender disparities. Within countries, cross-gender friending rates correlate with support for gender equality. In the US, cross-gender friendships are rarer in areas with a larger White share of the population, higher incomes, and more per-capita religious congregations. |
| JEL: | H0 R0 |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:33480 |
| By: | Chatterjee, Shreya; Gassier, Marine; Myint, Nikolas |
| Abstract: | Efforts to promote social cohesion through development projects have had to contend with multiple definitions of the term, a lack of clarity on diagnostic and measurement approaches, and contradictory evidence on the effectiveness of different types of interventions meant to repair or reinforce it. This paper first offers a definition of social cohesion that highlights three sets of relations: those connecting individuals within a community (bonding), those connecting individuals across distinct communities (bridging), and those connecting individuals to people and structures in a position of power (linking). Together, these three dimensions constitute a framework for diagnosing gaps in social cohesion, assessing trends, and prioritizing interventions and investments. The paper also outlines strategies for diagnosing gaps in social cohesion and tracking trends along these three dimensions, providing concrete recommendations for teams designing social cohesion measurement strategies. Finally, the paper reviews the evidence on what works to reinforce cohesion within community, to build trust across groups, and to strengthen citizen-state relations. This review highlights different types of intervention that can help promote social cohesion, while suggesting that their effectiveness is conditional on sound diagnoses and rigorous implementation processes. |
| Date: | 2023–04–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10417 |
| By: | Schiff, Kaylyn Jackson (Emory University); Schiff, Daniel S. (Purdue University); Bueno, Natalia |
| Abstract: | This study addresses the phenomenon of misinformation about misinformation, or politicians "crying wolf"' over fake news. Strategic and false claims that stories are fake news or deepfakes may benefit politicians by helping them maintain support after a scandal. We posit that this benefit, known as the "liar's dividend, " may be achieved through two politician strategies: by invoking informational uncertainty or by encouraging oppositional rallying of core supporters. We administer five survey experiments to over 15, 000 American adults detailing hypothetical politician responses to stories describing real politician scandals. We find that claims of misinformation representing both strategies raise politician support across partisan subgroups. These strategies are effective against text-based reports of scandals, but are largely ineffective against video evidence and do not reduce general trust in media. Finally, these false claims produce greater dividends for politicians than alternative responses to scandal, such as remaining silent or apologizing. |
| Date: | 2023–08–10 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:x43ph_v1 |
| By: | Anderson, D. Mark; Charles, Kerwin Kofi; Karbownik, Krzysztof; Rees, Daniel I.; Steffens, Camila |
| Abstract: | The Poor People's Campaign (PPC) of 1968 was focused on highlighting, and ultimately reducing, poverty in the United States. As part of the campaign, protestors from across the country were transported to Washington, D.C. in 6 separate bus caravans, each of which made stops en route to rest, recruit, and hold non-violent protests. Using data from 1960-1970, we estimate the effects of these protests on congressional election outcomes. In the South, we find that PPC protests led to reductions in Democratic vote share and turnout, while in the West they may have benefited Democratic candidates at the expense of their Republican rivals. |
| Keywords: | Civil Rights, Election, Political Economics, Protests |
| JEL: | D72 I30 J15 N32 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:312178 |
| By: | Pomerenke, David |
| Abstract: | Protests can have an impact on newspaper coverage, not only by prompting reports about the protest events themselves, but also by bringing attention to the issue that they are concerned with. But they may also have negative impacts by distracting from existing constructive discourse on the issue. Quantitative media analyses can uncover these impacts. The problem is that protests and media coverage are in a complex causal relation: They mutually influence each other, and external events may cause both protests and coverage to increase at the same time. To deal with observed and unobserved confounding, I evaluate multiple causal methods: Besides the classical repertoire of regression and instrumental variables, I investigate aggregated synthetic controls and inverse propensity weighting. I show that all methods reduce bias but do not completely remove it, except perhaps the synthetic control method. My analysis of climate protest events in Germany shows that the protests generally tend to increase not only protest-related coverage but also other coverage related to climate change; but there are differences between the various protest groups. This sheds empirical light on a theoretical debate about possible backfiring effects. |
| Date: | 2023–08–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:z2qbc_v1 |