WHY DOES ANONYMITY MAKE US MISBEHAVE: DIFFERENT NORMS OR LESS COMPLIANCE?

C-Tier
Journal: Economic Inquiry
Year: 2021
Volume: 59
Issue: 2
Pages: 776-789

Authors (2)

Score contribution per author:

0.503 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 0.5x C-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

In a laboratory experiment we investigate whether bad behavior in anonymous environments results from more lenient social norms or a reduction in the size of the role played by social norms in decision‐making. We elicit social norms in two dictator games with different levels of anonymity, estimate subjects' willingness‐to‐pay to adhere to norms, and test for treatment differences in each factor. Overall, it is a large reduction in the role played by social norms, which results in more unfair dictator choices when anonymous. Interestingly, however, females find making an unfair decision less acceptable when the dictator is unidentified. (JEL A13, C91, Z10)

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:bla:ecinqu:v:59:y:2021:i:2:p:776-789
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-29