Cross-Racial Envy and Underinvestment in South Africa

D.T. Haile, A. Sadrieh, H. Verbon

Research output: Book/ReportReportAcademic

Abstract

Trust games are employed to investigate the effect of heterogeneity in income and race on cooperation in South Africa. The amount of socio-economic information available to the subjects about their counterparts is varied. No significant behavioural differences are observed, when no such information is provided. However, when the information is available, it significantly affects individual trust behaviour. The low income subjects from both racial groups invest significantly less in partnerships with the high income subjects of the other racial group than in any other partnership. We attribute this behaviour to cross-racial envy, which on aggregate may lead to substantial underinvestment in the economy.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationMunich, Germany
PublisherCESifo
Number of pages23
Publication statusPublished - 2006

Publication series

NameWorking Papers
PublisherCESifo
No.1657

Keywords

  • cross cultural studies
  • race relations
  • ethnic groups
  • ethnicity
  • war
  • income distribution
  • socioeconomics
  • human behaviour
  • economic development
  • south africa

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