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Survey evidence on conditional norm enforcement

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  • Traxler, Christian
  • Winter, Joachim

Abstract

We analyze survey evidence on individuals’ willingness to sanction law violations - such as evading taxes, drunk driving and fare dodging - by disapproval or social exclusion. Our data show that people condition their willingness to sanction a norm violation on their belief about its frequency. The more commonly a norm violation is believed to occur, the lower individuals’ inclination to punish it. Our findings are in line with models of social norms and offer an alternative interpretation of the ’broken windows’ effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Traxler, Christian & Winter, Joachim, 2012. "Survey evidence on conditional norm enforcement," Munich Reprints in Economics 19645, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:lmu:muenar:19645
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior

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