Document de travail

On Injunctive Norms: Theory and Experiment

Pau Juan-Bartroli

Résumé

Recent studies have shown that individuals’ behavior is sensitive to their perceptions of socially appropri-ate behavior. In this paper, I introduce a theory of injunctive norms in which individuals evaluate the social appropriateness of a given behavior using universalization reasoning. The theory allows one to compute the social appropriateness of any behavior without relying on individuals’ expectations, preferences, and actual behavior. Furthermore, it can be applied to a wide range of interactions and rationalize several observations unaccounted for by theories of social preferences. I test the theory’s predictions with evidence from past studies and new data from a lab experiment.

Mots-clés

Social Norms; Morality; Lab Experiments; Social Preferences;

Codes JEL

  • C91: Laboratory, Individual Behavior
  • D91: Intertemporal Household Choice • Life Cycle Models and Saving

Référence

Pau Juan-Bartroli, « On Injunctive Norms: Theory and Experiment », TSE Working Paper, n° 24-1515, mars 2024.

Voir aussi

Publié dans

TSE Working Paper, n° 24-1515, mars 2024