Image Concerns and the Dynamics of Prosocial Behavior

Jana Hofmeier and Louis Strang ()
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Jana Hofmeier: University of Bonn
Louis Strang: University of Cologne

No 237, ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series from University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany

Abstract: This paper studies the dynamic effect of observability on prosocial behavior. We hypothesize a twofold positive effect. First, people should act more prosocially when being observed. Second, this increased level of prosociality should motivate an ongoing elevated altruistic attitude, in accordance with the concept of altruistic capital formation. We test our predictions running two experiments in which subjects make a first donation decision either observed or anonymously. Subsequently, all subjects face a second anonymous donation decision. In gen- eral, we observe high rates of altruistic behavior. However, we find only weak positive effects of observability on first-stage prosocial behavior and no effects on second-stage prosocial behavior.

Keywords: Prosocial Behavior; Donation; Moral Licensing; Altruistic Capital; Social preferences; Lab experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 D64 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 29 pages
Date: 2023-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe, nep-evo, nep-exp and nep-soc
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ajk:ajkdps:237

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