The impact of a scholarship programme on social capital formation among university students: An economic experiment at the University of Pretoria, South Africa

Eric Chikwalila, Marc Willinger, Stefano Farolfi (), Eric Mungatana and Damien Jourdain ()
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Eric Chikwalila: University of Pretoria [South Africa]
Eric Mungatana: University of Pretoria [South Africa]
Damien Jourdain: UMR G-EAU - Gestion de l'Eau, Acteurs, Usages - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - BRGM - Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - AgroParisTech - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement, Cirad-ES - Département Environnements et Sociétés - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, University of Pretoria [South Africa]

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Abstract: This study uses an online laboratory experiment and a post-experimental survey to test whether the Mastercard Foundation (MCF) scholarship programme causally influences the creation of cognitive social capital among University of Pretoria recipients. Cognitive social capital, which is based on commonly shared norms among subjects, leads to honest and cooperative behaviour. It is necessary for ease of information flow, a reduction in transaction costs, and allowing communities to deal with social dilemmas like common-pool resource management. The study used incentivised economic experiments on randomly selected subjects drawn from a control group (non-MCF students) and a treated group (MCF students). The experimental results from the two groups were compared to check the differences in terms of levels of trust, reciprocity, altruism, cooperation, in-group favouritism and out-group discrimination. Our results show that the scholarship programme has a significant impact only on levels of in-group favouritism and out-group discrimination. The post-experimental survey showed that MCF and non-MCF subjects were similar in terms of stated pro-social behaviour perceptions and in-group social capital creation.

Keywords: cognitive social capital; Mastercard Foundation scholarship; experimental economics; incentivised game determinants; bilateraltrade flow; Ethiopia; gravity model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-06-30
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Published in African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2023, 18 (1), pp.39-74. ⟨10.53936/afjare.2023.18(1).3⟩

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Journal Article: The impact of a scholarship programme on social capital formation among university students: An economic experiment at the University of Pretoria, South Africa (2023)
Working Paper: The impact of a scholarship program on social capital formation among university students: A economic experiment at the university of Pretoria, South Africa (2021)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04136553

DOI: 10.53936/afjare.2023.18(1).3

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