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on Social Norms and Social Capital |
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Issue of 2025–04–07
six papers chosen by Fabio Sabatini, Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza” |
| By: | Francesco Berlingieri (European Commission, Joint Research Centre); Matija Kovacic (European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC); Global Labor Organization (GLO); Ca’ Foscari University of Venice); Elena Stepanova (European Commission, Joint Research Centre) |
| Abstract: | Using a large-scale incentivized trust game experiment conducted across all 27 EU member states, we find that sexual minorities exhibit greater prosocial behaviour toward another vulnerable group but not toward an unknown counterpart, compared to heterosexual individuals. The observed effects are both relationship- and context-specific. Specifically, bisexual individuals and those identifying with a sexual orientation other than lesbian, gay, or heterosexual demonstrate higher trusting behaviour toward counterparts who frequently experience loneliness. This effect is not attributable to higher expectations of return, differences in risk preferences, or the individual's own loneliness status. Furthermore, we find evidence that this relationship-specific prosocial behaviour among sexual minorities is more pronounced in countries with lower levels of LGBTIQ+ rights protection, suggesting that it is heightened in contexts where minorities face a greater risk of exclusion or discrimination. We do not find statistically significant differences in overall trustworthiness across sexual orientations. However, the results offer some evidence that bisexual individuals are more trustworthy than heterosexual trustees when they feel a strong connection to their counterpart. |
| Keywords: | trust game; pro-sociality; LGBTIQ+; loneliness |
| JEL: | C91 C71 D64 J15 H80 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ven:wpaper:2025:02 |
| By: | Melek Hilal Eroglu (University of Pittsburgh); Steven Finkel (University of Pittsburgh); Anja Neundorf (University of Glasgow); Aykut Ozturk (University of Glasgow); Ericka G. Rascon-Ramirez (Department of Economics, CIDE and Middlesex University London) |
| Abstract: | How can the negative effects of partisan polarization on democratic attitudes be mitigated? Can polarized individuals be persuaded to choose democracy over party, i.e., support a candidate from an opposing party who upholds democratic norms when their co-partisan candidate fails to do so? We tested the effect of an online civic education intervention conducted on over 41, 000 individuals in 33 countries that was designed to promote the choice for "democracy" by emphasizing the benefits of democratic versus autocratic regimes. The results are striking: exposure to civic education messages significantly dampens the negative effect of partisan polarization on anti-democratic co-partisan candidate choice. Civic education also has a small positive effect on polarization itself, with further exploration showing that this is the result of increased evaluations of parties that uphold democratic norms and practices, resulting in greater differences between democratic and antidemocratic parties. |
| Keywords: | Civic education, partisan polarization, democratization, online experiments |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:emc:wpaper:dte647 |
| By: | Amelie Allegre (School of Economics, University of East Anglia); Oana Borcan (School of Economics, University of East Anglia); Christa Brunnschweiler (Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology) |
| Abstract: | We examine colonial-era primary education as a determinant of modern-day attainment and gender disparities in education. We construct a novel dataset from the French Protectorate in Morocco, combining archival data on colonial school locations in 1931 and 1954 with the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data in arbitrary grids. We analyse the influence of colonial schools on the probability of attaining primary and secondary education in 2004. Overall, schools dedicated to Moroccans in 1931 exhibit a persistent positive impact on education outcomes, but only in the absence of nearby schools reserved for Europeans. Stark gender gaps in access during the Protectorate were narrowed in places with schools for Jewish Moroccans. These had a positive impact on girls’ contemporary levels of education, but a negative impact on the enrolment for boys following the dismantling of Jewish communities after 1948. DHS measures of preferences for female education point to a social norms transmission mechanism between Jewish and Muslim Moroccan communities. |
| Keywords: | education, colonial legacy, female education, Morocco, French Protectorate |
| JEL: | N37 O15 I21 |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uea:ueaeco:2025-02 |
| By: | Inés Berniell (CEDLAS-IIE-FCE-UNLP); Leonardo Gasparini (CEDLAS-IIE-FCE-UNLP & CONICET); Mariana Marchionni (CEDLAS-IIE-FCE-UNLP & CONICET); Mariana Viollaz (CEDLAS-IIE-FCE-UNLP & IZA) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the impact of economic fluctuations on social norms, specifically exploring the link between changes in unemployment and shifts in attitudes toward gender roles in the labor market. The results are not immediately obvious, as the literature suggests several potential mechanisms with conflicting outcomes. Using microdata from the World Values Survey for a panel of 103 countries that cover close to 90% of the world population, we estimate individual-level probability models of agreement with traditional gender roles over the period 1995 to 2021, including country and year fixed effects. We find that an increase in unemployment is associated to more conservative views about gender roles in the labor market. This result is remarkably robust across different groups and specifications. We also find that some contextual factors matter. In particular, the link between higher unemployment and more conservative views on gender roles is stronger in countries with, on average, higher gender inequality and lower female labor force participation. Overall, this study contributes to a growing body of research on the complex relationship between economic conditions, gender norms, and social change. |
| JEL: | J16 J21 J22 Z1 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dls:wpaper:0346 |
| By: | Sofia Izquierdo Sanchez; William Tayler |
| Abstract: | Integrating research and teaching in higher education is a challenging yet important issue. Whilst evidence suggests that research quality in economics often correlates negatively with student satisfaction, incorporating research into the curriculum generally enhances student motivation and grades. We implemented an Instagram account as a supplementary resource across 4 courses in 2 universities. The account aimed to (1) introduce research-led teaching activities, (2) boost engagement, and (3) connect teaching to students’ real lives. Our findings reveal a positive link between student interaction with the account and improved percentile ranks, higher final grades, and successful course completion. This effect was notably stronger among students with specific learning difficulties. |
| Keywords: | social networks, education, engagement, research-led teaching |
| JEL: | A11 A2 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lan:wpaper:421808972 |
| By: | Afzal, Muhammad Hassan Bin; Omosun, Foluke |
| Abstract: | This study examines how political engagement shapes public attitudes toward legal immigration in the United States. Using nationally weighted data from the 2024 ANES Pilot Study, we construct a novel Political Engagement Index (PAX) based on five civic actions—discussing politics, online sharing, attending rallies, wearing political symbols, and campaign volunteering. Applying weighted ordered logistic regression models, we find that higher engagement predicts greater support for easing legal immigration, even after adjusting for education, gender, age, partisanship, income, urban residence, and generalized social trust. To capture the substantive effect, we visualize predicted probabilities across levels of engagement. In full-sample models, the likelihood of supporting "a lot harder" immigration drops from 26% to 13% as engagement rises, while support for "a lot easier" increases from 10% to 21%. Subgroup analyses by partisanship show consistent directionality, with notable shifts among Republicans. Social trust and education are also consistently associated with more open attitudes, while older respondents tend to support less easy pathways to legal immigration policies. These findings suggest that a cumulative increase in political participation is associated with support for legal immigration in shaping public attitudes toward legal immigration pathways, with varying intensity across partisan identities and socio-demographic characteristics. |
| Keywords: | Political Engagement, Immigration Policy, Voting Behavior, Civic Participation, Issue Salience, Elite Cues |
| JEL: | D72 F50 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esconf:314938 |