Extreme high temperatures and adaptation by social dynamics: Theory and evidence from China

Jiaowei Gong, Xiangyu Shi, Chang Wang and Xin Zhang

Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2025, vol. 234, issue C

Abstract: Using a novel city-level high-frequency panel dataset of social and public events in Chinese cities, we document that extreme high temperatures significantly reshape social dynamics. Extreme high temperatures increase social cooperation, and the effects are more pronounced when labor productivity is lower and environmental awareness is higher. Our estimates, combined with a quantitative model, indicate that humanity adapts to climate change in part by reshaping social dynamics. Adaptation offsets nearly 10% of the negative economic impacts of extreme high temperatures. Our quantitative analysis suggests that directly subsidizing cooperation is the most effective strategy for mitigating the adverse effects of extreme high temperatures.

Keywords: Social dynamics; Public events; Cooperation; Extreme temperatures; Climate change; Adaptation; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D71 D74 D9 O13 Q54 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Working Paper: Extreme high temperatures and adaptation by social dynamics: Theory and Evidence from China (2024)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:234:y:2025:i:c:s016726812500109x

DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2025.106989

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