Trait perceptions influence economic out-group bias: lab and field evidence from Vietnam
- Creators
- Tanaka, Tomomi
- Camerer, Colin F.
Abstract
Group favoritism is typically directed toward in-group members and against out-group members, but these cross-group effects often vary. Little is known about why group effects on economic choices vary. We use a survey method developed in social psychology to measure stereotyped attitudes of one group toward another. These attitudes are then associated with prosociality in five experimental games (also using an unusual amount of individual-level sociodemographic control). We present evidence from an artificial field experiment of a majority group with high status (Vietnamese) exhibiting no disfavoritism toward a lower-status out-group (Khmer) and typical disfavoritism to a second out-group (Chinese). Both Vietnamese and Chinese groups see the Khmer as warm but incompetent, attitudes which seem to activate empathy rather than contempt. The results suggest that measuring between-group stereotype attitudes can be used to predict the sign of cross-group favoritism in other natural settings.
Additional Information
© Economic Science Association 2015. Received 12 February 2012; revised 7 June 2015; accepted 10 June 2015; published online 29 July 2015. The Russell Sage Foundation (TT) and Betty and Gordon Moore Foundation (CFC)supported this research. Thanks to many tireless research assistants, the audience at Stanford SITE (2009), and two referees and editor David Cooper for helpful comments.Attached Files
Supplemental Material - 10683_2015_9452_MOESM1_ESM.pdf
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Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 71030
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20161012-141046298
- Russell Sage Foundation
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
- Created
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2016-10-12Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2021-11-11Created from EPrint's last_modified field