The development of egalitarianism, altruism, spite and parochialism in childhood and adolescence

Ernst Fehr, Daniela Glätzle-Rützler and Matthias Sutter

European Economic Review, 2013, vol. 64, issue C, 369-383

Abstract: We study how the distribution of other-regarding preferences develops with age. Based on a set of allocation choices, we classify each of 717 subjects, aged 8–17 years, as either egalitarian, altruistic, or spiteful. We find a strong decrease in spitefulness with increasing age. Egalitarianism becomes less frequent, and altruism much more prominent, with age. Females are more frequently classified as egalitarian than males, and less often as altruistic. By varying the allocation recipient as either an in-group or an out-group member, we also study how parochialism develops with age. Parochialism emerges significantly in the teenage years.

Keywords: Other-regarding preferences; Egalitarianism; Altruism; Spite; Parochialism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 D03 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (145)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The Development of Egalitarianism, Altruism, Spite and Parochialism in Childhood and Adolescence (2011)
Working Paper: The development of egalitarianism, altruism, spite and parochialism in childhood and adolescence (2011)
Working Paper: The Development of Egalitarianism, Altruism, Spite and Parochialism in Childhood and Adolescence (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:64:y:2013:i:c:p:369-383

DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2013.09.006

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