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REPRESENTATIVE TRUST AND RECIPROCITY: PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS |
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| Authors: | THOMAS DOHMEN ARMIN FALK DAVID HUFFMAN UWE SUNDE |
| Institution: | Dohmen:;Senior Research Associate, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany. Phone 49-228-3894-112, Fax 49-228-3894-180, E-mail Falk:;Professor, University of Bonn and IZA, Adenauerallee 24-42, D-53113 Bonn, Germany. Phone 49-228-735082, Fax 49-228-739239, E-mail Huffman:;Senior Research Associate, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany. Phone 49-228-3894-522, Fax 49-228-3894-180, E-mail Sunde:;Senior Research Associate, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) and CEPR, P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany. Phone 49-228-3894-221, Fax +49-228-3894-180, E-mail |
| Abstract: | This paper provides evidence about the determinants of trust and reciprocal inclinations, that is, a tendency for people to respond in kind to hostile or kind actions, in a representative setting. We investigate the prevalence of reciprocity in the population, the correlation between trust and positive and negative reciprocal inclinations within person, the individual determinants of reciprocity, and the relationship with psychological measures of personality. We find that most people state reciprocal inclinations, in particular in terms of positive reciprocity, as well as substantial heterogeneity in the degree of trust and reciprocity. Trust and positive reciprocity are only weakly correlated, while trust and negative reciprocity exhibit a negative correlation. In terms of determinants, being female and increasing age are associated with stronger positive and weaker negative reciprocal tendencies. Taller people are more positively reciprocal, but height has no impact on negative reciprocity. Psychological traits also affect trust and reciprocity. ( JEL D63, J3, J6) |
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