Working Paper: NBER ID: w15925
Authors: Daniel J. Benjamin; James J. Choi; Geoffrey W. Fisher
Abstract: We randomly vary religious identity salience in laboratory subjects to test how identity salience contributes to six hypothesized links from prior literature between religious identity and economic behavior. We find that religious identity salience makes Protestants increase contributions to public goods. Catholics decrease contributions to public goods, expect others to contribute less to public goods, and become less risk averse. Jews more strongly reciprocate as an employee in a bilateral labor market gift-exchange game. We find no evidence of religious identity salience effects on disutility of work effort, discount rates, or generosity in a dictator game.
Keywords: religion; economic behavior; public goods; trust; risk-taking; generosity; work ethic
JEL Codes: D64; D71; D90; G11; H41; J22; Z12
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| religious identity salience (Z12) | increased contributions to public goods among Protestants (H49) |
| religious identity salience (Z12) | decreased contributions to public goods among Catholics (Z12) |
| Catholic identity salience (Z12) | decreased expectations of others' contributions to public goods (H40) |
| religious identity salience (Z12) | increased risk aversion among Protestants (Z12) |
| Catholic identity salience (Z12) | increased risk-taking behavior (D91) |
| Jewish identity salience (J15) | increased labor market reciprocity (J68) |
| religious identity salience (Z12) | no effect on trust levels among Protestants (Z12) |
| religious identity salience (Z12) | no significant effects on discount rates or generosity in dictator game (C72) |