Working Paper: NBER ID: w31663
Authors: Jean-Paul Carvalho; Augustin Bergeron; Joseph Henrich; Nathan Nunn; Jonathan L. Weigel
Abstract: We study the evolution of belief systems that suppress productive effort, including beliefs about envy, the importance of luck for success, witchcraft beliefs, and disdain for competitive effort. Demotivating beliefs evolve when interactions are zero-sum. They improve short-run material welfare by limiting excessive competition but reduce long-run growth. Demotivating beliefs also drive a wedge between how well people do and how well they think they do. Whereas material welfare is hump-shaped in demotivating beliefs, subjective well-being is decreasing. These predictions are supported by data from two samples in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the World Values Survey.
Keywords: zerosum thinking; demotivating beliefs; economic development; cultural evolution
JEL Codes: N10; O10; Q55
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| zerosum thinking (C70) | demotivating beliefs (D91) |
| demotivating beliefs (D91) | material welfare (I31) |
| demotivating beliefs (D91) | subjective well-being (I31) |
| zerosum thinking (C70) | material welfare (I31) |
| zerosum thinking (C70) | subjective well-being (I31) |