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Shifting Punishment on Minorities: Experimental Evidence of Scapegoating

Author

Listed:
  • Roland, Gérard
  • Bauer, Michal
  • Cahlíková, Jana
  • Chytilová, Julie
  • Želinský, Tomáš
Abstract
This paper provides experimental evidence showing that members of a majority group systematically shift punishment on innocent members of an ethnic minority. We develop a new incentivized task, the Punishing the Scapegoat Game, to measure how injustice affecting a member of one’s own group shapes punishment of an unrelated bystander (“a scapegoat†). We manipulate the ethnic identity of the scapegoats and study interactions between the majority group and the Roma minority in Slovakia. We find that when no harm is done, there is no evidence of discrimination against the ethnic minority. In contrast, when a member of one’s own group is harmed, the punishment †passed†on innocent individuals more than doubles when they are from the minority, as compared to when they are from the dominant group. These results illuminate how individualized tensions can be transformed into a group conflict, dragging minorities into conflicts in a way that is completely unrelated to their behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Roland, Gérard & Bauer, Michal & Cahlíková, Jana & Chytilová, Julie & Želinský, Tomáš, 2021. "Shifting Punishment on Minorities: Experimental Evidence of Scapegoating," CEPR Discussion Papers 16453, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:16453
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    Cited by:

    1. Bracco, Emanuele & De Paola, Maria & Green, Colin & Scoppa, Vincenzo, 2022. "The spillover of anti-immigration politics to the schoolyard," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    2. Pascal Achard & Sigrid Suetens, 2023. "The causal effect of ethnic diversity on support for redistribution and the role of discrimination," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(5), pages 1678-1696, December.
    3. Leonardo Bursztyn & Georgy Egorov & Ingar Haaland & Aakaash Rao & Christopher Roth, 2022. "Scapegoating during Crises," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 112, pages 151-155, May.
    4. Eric Chyn & Kareem Haggag & Bryan A. Stuart, 2022. "The Effects of Racial Segregation on Intergenerational Mobility: Evidence from Historical Railroad Placement," NBER Working Papers 30563, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Tomáš Želinský & Gerard Roland & Jana Cahlíková & Julie Chytilová & Michal Bauer, 2023. "Scapegoating of ethnic minorities: Experimental evidence," ECONtribute Policy Brief Series 044, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    6. Giuliano, Paola & Spilimbergo, Antonio, 2024. "Aggregate Shocks and the Formation of Preferences and Beliefs," IZA Discussion Papers 17110, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Punishment; Minority groups; Inter-group conflict; Discrimination; Scapegoating; Lab-in-field experiments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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