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Intuitive help and punishment in the field

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  • Artavia-Mora, Luis
  • Bedi, Arjun S.
  • Rieger, Matthias

Abstract

We test whether humans are intuitively inclined to help or punish strangers using a natural field experiment. The experiment manipulates the time available to decide whether to help or punish a stranger in an everyday situation. Our findings suggest that humans intuitively tend to help. However, time delay significantly reduces helping rates. In line with lab experiments, delay seems to override prosocial intuitions. There is no evidence that time delay affects rates of punishment. However, time delay magnifies self-reported fears of retaliation in response to direct punishment. We discuss our results with respect to previous research on the cognitive origins of human cooperation.

Suggested Citation

  • Artavia-Mora, Luis & Bedi, Arjun S. & Rieger, Matthias, 2017. "Intuitive help and punishment in the field," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 133-145.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:92:y:2017:i:c:p:133-145
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2016.12.007
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    Cited by:

    1. Mischkowski, Dorothee & Glöckner, Andreas & Lewisch, Peter, 2018. "From spontaneous cooperation to spontaneous punishment – Distinguishing the underlying motives driving spontaneous behavior in first and second order public good games," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 59-72.
    2. Amanda Kvarven & Eirik Strømland & Conny Wollbrant & David Andersson & Magnus Johannesson & Gustav Tinghög & Daniel Västfjäll & Kristian Ove R. Myrseth, 2020. "The intuitive cooperation hypothesis revisited: a meta-analytic examination of effect size and between-study heterogeneity," Journal of the Economic Science Association, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 6(1), pages 26-42, June.
    3. Thijs Brouwer & Fabio Galeotti & Marie Claire Villeval, 2023. "Teaching Norms: Direct Evidence of Parental Transmission," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(650), pages 872-887.
    4. Artavia-Mora, Luis & Bedi, Arjun S. & Rieger, Matthias, 2018. "Help, Prejudice and Headscarves," IZA Discussion Papers 11460, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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