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The effects of COVID-19 lockdown on fairness and cooperation: Evidence from a lablike experiment

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  • Buso, Irene Maria
  • De Caprariis, Sofia
  • Di Cagno, Daniela
  • Ferrari, Lorenzo
  • Larocca, Vittorio
  • Marazzi, Francesca
  • Panaccione, Luca
  • Spadoni, Lorenzo

Abstract

We run an experiment to study the effects of Covid-19 lockdown in Italy on preferences for fairness and cooperation. Given the impossibility of having participants in the lab during the lockdown, we adopted an online methodology based on a multi-platform architecture that brings experimental subjects in a “Lab on the Web”. Results from standard Ultimatum and linear Public Good games show that the circumstances in which participants lived the lockdown significantly affect their behavior in the two games. In particular, participants are more selfish in the ultimatum bargaining and contribute more to the public good when social isolation is stronger. However, cooperation decreases when lockdown is longer. We interpret these results as evidence of “social embeddedness” to compensate for “social distancing”.

Suggested Citation

  • Buso, Irene Maria & De Caprariis, Sofia & Di Cagno, Daniela & Ferrari, Lorenzo & Larocca, Vittorio & Marazzi, Francesca & Panaccione, Luca & Spadoni, Lorenzo, 2020. "The effects of COVID-19 lockdown on fairness and cooperation: Evidence from a lablike experiment," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:196:y:2020:i:c:s0165176520303487
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2020.109577
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    2. Hubert János Kiss & Tamás Keller, 2022. "The short-term effect of COVID-19 on schoolchildren's generosity," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(9), pages 842-846, May.
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    5. Fortuna Casoria & Fabio Galeotti & Marie Claire Villeval, 2023. "Trust and social preferences in times of acute health crisis," Working Papers 2304, Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Étienne (GATE Lyon St-Étienne), Université de Lyon.
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    7. Girardi, Alessandro & Ventura, Marco, 2023. "The cost of waiting and the death toll in Italy during the first wave of the covid-19 pandemic," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    8. Lohmann, Paul M. & Gsottbauer, Elisabeth & You, Jing & Kontoleon, Andreas, 2023. "Anti-social behaviour and economic decision-making: Panel experimental evidence in the wake of COVID-19," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 136-171.
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    11. Cerqueti, Roy & Tramontana, Fabio & Ventura, Marco, 2022. "The complex interplay between COVID-19 and economic activity," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 97-107.
    12. Patrick Mellacher, 2020. "Cooperation in the Age of COVID-19: Evidence from Public Goods Games," Papers 2011.09189, arXiv.org.
    13. Luca Corazzini & Christopher Cotton & Enrico Longo & Tommaso Reggiani, 2021. "The Gates Effect in Public Goods Experiments: How Donations Flow to the Recipients Favored by the Wealthy," MUNI ECON Working Papers 2021-13, Masaryk University, revised Aug 2024.
    14. Conti, G.; & Giustinelli, P.;, 2022. "For Better or Worse? Subjective Expectations and Cost-Benefit Trade-Offs in Health Behavior: An Application to Lockdown Compliance in the United Kingdom," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 22/14, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    15. Hamza Umer, 2023. "Stability of pro-sociality and trust amid the Covid-19: panel data from the Netherlands," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 50(1), pages 255-287, February.
    16. Danae Arroyos-Calvera & Michalis Drouvelis & Johannes Lohse & Rebecca McDonald, 2020. "Improving compliance with COVID-19 guidance: a workplace field experiment," Discussion Papers 20-30, Department of Economics, University of Birmingham.
    17. Gabriella Conti & Pamela Giustinelli, 2023. "For better or worse? Subjective expectations and cost-benefit trade-offs in health behavior," IFS Working Papers W23/19, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    18. Irene Maria Buso & Daniela Di Cagno & Lorenzo Ferrari & Vittorio Larocca & Luisa Lorè & Francesca Marazzi & Luca Panaccione & Lorenzo Spadoni, 2021. "Lab-like findings from online experiments," Journal of the Economic Science Association, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 7(2), pages 184-193, December.
    19. Lorenzo Lotti & Shanali Pethiyagoda, 2022. "Generosity during COVID-19: investigating socioeconomic shocks and game framing," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, December.
    20. Irene Maria Buso & Daniela Di Cagno & Sofia De Caprariis & Lorenzo Ferrari & Vittorio Larocca & Luisa Lorè & Francesca Marazzi & Luca Panaccione & Lorenzo Spadoni, 2020. "Lab-like Findings of Non-Lab Experiments: a Methodological Proposal and Validation," Working Papers CESARE 3/2020, Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza, LUISS Guido Carli.
    21. Xingyuan Yao, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic and economic stimulus policy inequality: evidence from quasi-natural experiments," Working Papers 585, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    22. Luca Corazzini & Christopher Cotton & Enrico Longo & Tommaso Reggiani, 2022. "Pro-Rich and Progressive: Policy Selection and Contributions in Threshold Public Goods Experiments," Working Paper 1471, Economics Department, Queen's University.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Covid-19; Economic experiment; Fairness; Voluntary contribution mechanism; Cooperation; Lablike data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games

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