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Groups and trust: Experimental evidence on the Olson and Putnam hypotheses

Author

Listed:
  • Giacomo Degli Antoni

    (University of Parma, Department of Law)

  • Gianluca Grimalda

    (University Jaume I of Castellón - Economics Department)

Abstract
Mancur Olson and Robert Putnam provide two conflicting views on the effect of involvement with voluntary associations on their members. Putnam argues that associations instill in their members habits of cooperation, solidarity and public spiritedness. Olson emphasizes the tendency of groups to pursue private interests and lobby for preferential policies. We carry out the first field experiment involving a sample of members of different association types from different age groups and education levels, as well as a demographically comparable sample of non-members. This enables us to examine the differential patterns of behavior followed by members of Putnam-type and Olson- type associations. Coherently with both the Putnam's and Olson's view, we find that members of Putnam-type (Olson-type) associations display more (no more) generalized trust than non-members. However, when we examine trustworthy behavior we find the opposite pattern, with members of Olson-type (Putnam-type) associations more (no more) trustworthy than non-members. No relevant effect for the intensity of participation in associations emerges.pro-sociality.Length: 37

Suggested Citation

  • Giacomo Degli Antoni & Gianluca Grimalda, 2014. "Groups and trust: Experimental evidence on the Olson and Putnam hypotheses," Econometica Working Papers wp57, Econometica.
  • Handle: RePEc:ent:wpaper:wp57
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    Cited by:

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    2. Geraci, Andrea & Nardotto, Mattia & Reggiani, Tommaso & Sabatini, Fabio, 2022. "Broadband Internet and social capital," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    3. Sophie Cetre, 2020. "Essays on the determinants of wage inequality [Etudes des déterminants des inégalités salariales]," SciencePo Working papers Main tel-03408393, HAL.
    4. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/53c4o1e509lcr61ob4ntirirm is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Gylfason, Haukur Freyr & Olafsdottir, Katrin, 2017. "Does Gneezy's cheap talk game measure trust?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 143-148.
    6. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/53c4o1e509lcr61ob4ntirirm is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Paul Okello Atieno & George N Mose & Nicholas K. Ombachi, 2021. "Social Cohesion Heritage and Self-Help Groups on Sustainable Livelihoods among Households in Nyakach Sub-County, Kenya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 5(11), pages 482-491, November.
    8. Leonardo Becchetti & Emanuele Bobbio & Federico Prizia & Lorenzo Semplici, 2022. "Going Deeper into the S of ESG: A Relational Approach to the Definition of Social Responsibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-22, August.
    9. Giacomo Degli Antoni, 2017. "Workers’ Propensity to Make a Monetary Sacrifice in Favour of Colleagues or People from the General Population: A Comparison based on an Artefactual Field Experiment," Journal of Entrepreneurial and Organizational Diversity, European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises, vol. 6(2), pages 2-19.
    10. Sophie Cetre, 2020. "Essays on the determinants of wage inequality [Etudes des déterminants des inégalités salariales]," SciencePo Working papers tel-03408393, HAL.
    11. Giacomo Degli Antoni, 2016. "Capitale sociale e cooperative sociali: considerazioni da una indagine sul campo," QUADERNI DI ECONOMIA DEL LAVORO, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2016(105), pages 151-163.
    12. Vincenzo Alfano, 2022. "Does social capital enforce social distancing? The role of bridging and bonding social capital in the evolution of the pandemic," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 39(3), pages 839-859, October.
    13. Weißmüller, Kristina Sabrina, 2022. "Implicit Dimensions of Moral Licensing in Citizen-State Interactions," OSF Preprints a8uwd, Center for Open Science.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trust; Voluntary associations; Putnam; Olson; Field experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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