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Belief in Hard Work and Altruism: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Sule Alan

    (University of Essex)

  • Seda Ertac

    (Koc University)

Abstract

We show that optimistic beliefs regarding the role of effort in success, while leading to success, diminish the individual's sympathy toward the unsuccessful. We generate random variation in the degree of optimism about the productivity of effort via an effective educational intervention. We find that treated children, holding significantly more optimistic beliefs, are no less likely than control to give to unlucky recipients, but significantly less likely to give to those who failed at a real effort task despite an opportunity to build skill. The results highlight possible unintended social effects of effort-focused optimism and have implications for political economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Sule Alan & Seda Ertac, 2017. "Belief in Hard Work and Altruism: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment," Working Papers 2017-053, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2017-053
    Note: IP
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    File URL: http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Alan_Ertac_2017_hard-work-altruism.pdf
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    Cited by:

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    2. Fabian Kosse & Thomas Deckers & Pia Pinger & Hannah Schildberg-Hörisch & Armin Falk, 2020. "The Formation of Prosociality: Causal Evidence on the Role of Social Environment," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(2), pages 434-467.
    3. Manar Alnamlah & Christina Gravert, 2020. "She Could Not Agree More: The Role of Failure Attribution in Shaping the Gender Gap in Competition Persistence," CEBI working paper series 20-25, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    4. Haaland, Ingar & Roth, Christopher, 2020. "Labor market concerns and support for immigration," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    5. Jeffrey, Karen & Matakos, Konstantinos, 2024. "Automation anxiety, fairness perceptions, and redistribution: Past experiences condition the response to future job loss," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 174-190.
    6. Sule Alan & Elif Bodur & Elif Kubilay & Ipek Mumcu, 2021. "Social Status in Student Networks and Implications for Perceived Social Climate in Schools," CESifo Working Paper Series 9095, CESifo.
    7. Schwaiger, Rene & Huber, Jürgen & Kirchler, Michael & Kleinlercher, Daniel & Weitzel, Utz, 2022. "Unequal opportunities, social groups, and redistribution: Evidence from Germany," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    8. Rene Schwaiger & Jürgen Huber & Michael Kirchler & Daniel Kleinlercher & Utz Weitzel, 2020. "Unequal Opportunities, Social Groups, and Redistribution: Evidence from the General Population," Working Papers 2020-26, Faculty of Economics and Statistics, Universität Innsbruck.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    redistributive preferences; prosocial behavior; altruism; beliefs; fairness; field experiments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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