Religious Identity and Economic Behavior / Daniel J. Benjamin, James J. Choi, Geoffrey W. Fisher.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Benjamin, Daniel J.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Choi, James J.

Fisher, Geoffrey W.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w15925.

NBER working paper series no. w15925

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2010.

Summary:

We randomly vary religious identity salience in laboratory subjects to test how identity salience contributes to six hypothesized links from prior literature between religious identity and economic behavior. We find that religious identity salience makes Protestants increase contributions to public goods. Catholics decrease contributions to public goods, expect others to contribute less to public goods, and become less risk averse. Jews more strongly reciprocate as an employee in a bilateral labor market gift-exchange game. We find no evidence of religious identity salience effects on disutility of work effort, discount rates, or generosity in a dictator game.

Notes:

Print version record

April 2010.