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Donations, risk attitudes and time preferences: a study on altruism in primary school children

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  • Angerer, Silvia
  • Glätzle-Rützler, Daniela
  • Lergetporer, Philipp Jürgen Huber
  • Sutter, Matthias

Abstract

We study with a sample of 1,070 primary school children, aged seven to eleven years, how altruism in a donation experiment is related to children’s risk attitudes and intertemporal choices. Examining such a relationship is motivated by theories of reciprocal altruism that provide a cornerstone to understand human social behavior. We find that higher risk tolerance and patience in intertemporal choice increase, in general, the level of donations, albeit the effects are non-linear. We confirm earlier results that altruism increases with age during childhood and that girls are more altruistic than boys. Having older brothers makes subjects less altruistic.

Suggested Citation

  • Angerer, Silvia & Glätzle-Rützler, Daniela & Lergetporer, Philipp Jürgen Huber & Sutter, Matthias, 2014. "Donations, risk attitudes and time preferences: a study on altruism in primary school children," Economics Working Papers ECO2014/04, European University Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:eui:euiwps:eco2014/04
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Altruism; donations; risk attitudes; intertemporal choices; experiment; children;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers

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