Law and Norms: Empirical Evidence

Tom Lane () and Daniele Nosenzo

No 2019-08, Discussion Papers from The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham

Abstract: A large theoretical literature argues laws exert a causal effect on norms. This paper is the first to provide a clean empirical test of the proposition. Using an incentivized vignette experiment, we directly measure social norms relating to actions subject to legal thresholds. Results from three samples with around 800 subjects drawn from universities in the UK and China, and the UK general population, show laws often, but not always, influence norms. The strength of the effect varies across different scenarios, with some evidence that it is more powerful when law-breaking is more likely to be intentional and accurately measurable.

Keywords: Social Norms; Law; Expressive Function of Law (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cna, nep-evo, nep-exp and nep-law
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Law and Norms: Empirical Evidence (2023)
Working Paper: Law and Norms: Empirical Evidence (2021)
Working Paper: Law and Norms: Empirical Evidence (2020)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:not:notcdx:2019-08

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