Contagion of Pro- and Anti-Social Behavior among Peers and the Role of Social Proximity

Arbeitspapier

This paper uses a novel experimental design to study the contagion of pro- and anti-social behavior and the role of social proximity among peers. Across systematic variations thereof, we find that anti-social behavior is generally more contagious than pro-social behavior. Surprisingly, we also find that social proximity amplifies the contagion of anti-social behavior more strongly than the contagion of pro-social behavior. Anti-social individuals are also most susceptible to the behavioral contagion of other anti-social peers. These findings paired with the methodological contribution inform the design of effective norm-based policy interventions directed at facilitating pro-social behavior and reducing anti-social behavior in social and economic environments.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 8263

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Design of Experiments: Laboratory, Individual ; Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers ; Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: General‡
• Subject: behavioral contagion ; peer effects ; anti-social & pro-social behavior

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Dimant, Eugen
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
• (where): Munich
• (when): 2020

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/217014
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET