Calamities, common interests, shared identity: What shapes altruism and reciprocity?

Arbeitspapier

We conduct a large-scale survey experiment in nine European countries to study how priming a major crisis (COVID-19), common economic interests, and a shared identity influences altruism, reciprocity and trust of EU citizens. We find that priming the COVID-19 pandemic increases altruism and reciprocity towards compatriots, citizens of other EU countries, and non-EU citizens. Priming common European values also boosts altruism and reciprocity but only towards compatriots and fellow Europeans.Priming common economic interests has no tangible impact on behaviour. Trust in others is not affected by any treatment. Our results are consistent with the parochial altruism hypothesis, which asserts that because altruism arises out of inter-group conflict, humans show a tendency to favor members of their own groups.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: EconPol Working Paper ; No. 64

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior ; National Government Expenditures and Health ; National Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs ; Social Security and Public Pensions ; Economywide Country Studies: Europe ; Comparative Studies of Particular Economies
• Subject: COVID-19 ; Europe ; altruism ; reciprocity ; survey experiment

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Aksoy, Cevat Giray ; Cabrales, Antonio ; Dolls, Mathias ; Durante, Ruben ; Windsteiger, Lisa
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich
• (where): Munich
• (when): 2021

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/236731
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET