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Using experimental economics to measure the effects of a natural educational experiment on altruism

Author

Listed:
  • Eric Bettinger
  • Robert Slonim
Abstract
Economic research examining how educational intervention programs affect primary and secondary schooling focuses largely on test scores although the interventions can affect many other outcomes. This paper examines how an educational intervention, a voucher program, affected students' altruism. The voucher program used a lottery to allocate scholarships among low-income applicant families with children in K-8th grade. By exploiting the lottery to identify the voucher effects, and using experimental economic methods, we measure the effects of the intervention on childrens altruism. We also measure the voucher programs effects on parents' altruism and several academic outcomes including test scores. We find that the educational intervention positively affects students' altruism towards charitable organizations but not towards their peers. We fail to find statistically significant effects of the vouchers on parents' altruism or test scores.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric Bettinger & Robert Slonim, 2006. "Using experimental economics to measure the effects of a natural educational experiment on altruism," Artefactual Field Experiments 00008, The Field Experiments Website.
    • Handle: RePEc:feb:artefa:00008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • C9 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments

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