Social Class and (Un)ethical Behavior: Evidence from a Large Population Sample

Stefan Trautmann, Gijs Kuilen and Richard Zeckhauser

Working Paper Series from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government

Abstract: We test whether and how membership in the upper class affects ethical behavior in a large representative population sample. Using objective measures of socioeconomic status to define class, we find no evidence of a general tendency for upper class to be less ethical, although we do replicate previous findings that higher status leads to less condemnation of infidelity. We also find evidence that higher class status leads to more self-focus and disengagement, as previously shown in laboratory studies with convenience samples.

Date: 2012-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe, nep-evo, nep-exp and nep-soc
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https://research.hks.harvard.edu/publications/work ... ?PubId=8389&type=WPN

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Working Paper: Social Class and (Un)ethical Behavior: Evidence from a Large Population Sample (2012)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ecl:harjfk:rwp12-019

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