Crime-related Exposure to Violence and Social Preferences: Experimental Evidence from Bogotá

Francesco Bogliacino, Camilo Gómez Cangrejo and Gianluca Grimalda

No 17345, Documentos de Trabajo, Escuela de Economía from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, FCE, CID

Abstract: In this paper, we study the relationship between exposure to violence (ETV) and pro-social behavior using two artefactual field experiments in Bogotá, Colombia. We focus on two dimensions of ETV: trauma and negative economic shock. In our first experiment, after manipulating a recall of ETV, we collate a number of decisions from a trust game and a dictator game. Using a design inspired by Falk and Zehnder (2013), we compare the measures of in-group bias at the district level. In our companion experiment, we use a similar design, which includes a Prisoners’ Dilemma, and we introduce a 2-by-2 design where we attempt to disentangle the effect of trauma and a negative wealth shock. Our results suggest that there is a positive relationship between ETV and pro-social behavior, driven by both trauma and shock. Finally, there is evidence of in-group bias at the district level in Bogotá, but this is task specific. When we explore possible mediating variables proposed by the literature, we find that only beliefs seem to be affected, however the result is not robust. On the other hand, evidence is consistent with a generalized explanation based on either the dual system theory or the role of negative emotions. *** En este artículo estudiamos la relación entre exposición a violencia (ETV) y comportamiento prosocial usando dos experimentos de campo artefactuales en Bogotá (Colombia). Nos centramos en dos dimensiones de ETV: trauma y choque económico negativo. En el primer experimento, recolectamos una serie de decisiones a partir de un juego de confianza y un juego del dictador, después de manipular un recuerdo de exposición a violencia. Usando un diseno inspirado por Falk y Zehnder (2013), recolectamos medidas de sesgo intra-grupo a nivel de localidad. En el experimento complementario usamos un diseno similar, pero incluimos un dilema del prisionero y un diseno 2x2 donde intentamos separar los efectos del trauma y de un choque negativo de riqueza. Nuestros resultados sugieren una relación positiva entre ETV y comportamiento prosocial, guiado tanto por el trauma como por el shock. Finalmente, hay evidencia de un sesgo intragrupo a nivel de localidad en Bogotá, sin embargo, es específico a la tarea. Cuando exploramos posibles variables mediadoras propuestas por la literatura, encontramos que solo las creencias parecen ser afectadas, pero este resultado no es robusto, mientras que la evidencia es consistente con una explicación generalizada basada en la teoría del sistema dual o en el papel de las emociones negativas.

Keywords: discrimination; trust; trustworthiness; cooperation; violence; third party punishment, social heuristics hypothesis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 D63 D64 D91 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 49
Date: 2019-07-23
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp, nep-lam and nep-soc
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Crime-related Exposure to Violence and Social Preferences: Experimental Evidence from Bogotá (2020)
Working Paper: Crime-related Exposure to Violence and Social Preferences: Experimental Evidence from Bogotá (2019)
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