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Endogenous Norm Formation over the Life Cycle. The case of tax evasion

Author

Listed:
  • Nordblom, Katarina

    (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University)

  • Zamac, Jovan

    (Dept of Economics, Uppsala University)

Abstract
This paper offers an explanation to why the general observation that elderly hold stronger moral attitudes than young ones may be an age rather than a cohort effect. We apply mechanisms from social psychology to explain how personal norms may evolve over the life cycle. We assume that people update their norms influenced by their own past behavior (e.g., cognitive dissonance) and/or by the attitudes of their peers (normative conformity). We apply the theory on actual norm distributions for young and old concerning tax evasion. Allowing for heterogeneous updating of norms where only those who identify with their network are actually conforming with it, while the others are only influenced by their own past behavior, we can explain the difference between young and old people’s moral values as an age effect through endogenous norm formation.

Suggested Citation

  • Nordblom, Katarina & Zamac, Jovan, 2011. "Endogenous Norm Formation over the Life Cycle. The case of tax evasion," Working Papers in Economics 511, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0511
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2077/26143
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Dong, Sarah Xue & Sinning, Mathias, 2022. "Trying to Make a Good First Impression: A Natural Field Experiment to Engage New Entrants to the Tax System," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    2. Pickhardt, Michael & Seibold, Goetz, 2014. "Income tax evasion dynamics: Evidence from an agent-based econophysics model," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 147-160.
    3. Vicente Calabuig & Gonzalo Olcina & Fabrizio Panebianco, 2017. "The dynamics of personal norms and the determinants of cultural homogeneity," Rationality and Society, , vol. 29(3), pages 322-354, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social norms; Endogenous norms; Tax evasion; Cognitive dissonance; Self-signaling; Normative conformity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance

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