Stress, Ethnicity, and Prosocial Behavior

Johannes Haushofer, Sara Lowes, Abednego Musau, David M. Ndetei, Nathan Nunn, Moritz Poll and Nancy Qian

No 30363, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: While observational evidence suggests that people behave more prosocially towards members of their own ethnic group, many laboratory studies fail to find this effect. One possible explanation is that coethnic preference only emerges during times of stress. To test this hypothesis, we pharmacologically increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, after which participants complete laboratory experiments with coethnics and noncoethnics. We find mixed evidence that increased cortisol decreases prosocial behavior. Coethnic preferences do not vary with cortisol. However, in contrast to previous studies, we find strong and robust evidence of coethnic preference.

JEL-codes: O12 Z10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-evo, nep-exp, nep-ltv, nep-neu and nep-soc
Note: DEV POL
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Published as Johannes Haushofer & Sara Lowes & Abednego Musau & David Ndetei & Nathan Nunn & Moritz Poll & Nancy Qian, 2023. "Stress, Ethnicity, and Prosocial Behavior," Journal of Political Economy Microeconomics, vol 1(2), pages 225-269.

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Journal Article: Stress, Ethnicity, and Prosocial Behavior (2023)
Working Paper: Stress, Ethnicity, and Prosocial Behavior (2022)
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