Impure altruism or inequality aversion?: An experimental investigation based on income effects

Subhasish Chowdhury and Joo Young Jeon

Journal of Public Economics, 2014, vol. 118, issue C, 143-150

Abstract: We investigate the consequences of a pure income effect on the altruistic behavior of donors. Inequality aversion theories predict either no effect or a decrease in giving, whereas impure altruism theory predicts an increase in giving with an increase in the common income of donor and receiver. Theoretical predictions being contradictory, we run a dictator game in which we vary the common show-up fee of both the dictator and the recipient, while keeping an extra amount to be shared the same. The results are in line with the prediction of the impure altruism theory.

Keywords: Altruism; Dictator-game; Income effect; Impure altruism; Inequality aversion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 D03 D64 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (44)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:118:y:2014:i:c:p:143-150

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2014.07.003

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