Social Identity and Preferences

41 Pages Posted: 25 Apr 2008

See all articles by Daniel J. Benjamin

Daniel J. Benjamin

USC, Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR); Anderson School of Management; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Human Genetics Department, David Geffen School of Medicine

James J. Choi

Yale School of Management; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

A. Strickland

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: April 2008

Abstract

We provide evidence that time and risk preference norms tied to social identities help shape observed U.S. demographic patterns in economic outcomes. We identify the marginal effect of norms by measuring how laboratory subjects' choices change when an aspect of social identity is made salient. We find that when ethnic identity is salient to Asian-American subjects, they make more patient choices. When we make race salient to black subjects, non-immigrant blacks (but not immigrant blacks) make more risk-averse choices. Making gender identity salient causes choices to conform to gender norms the subject believes are relatively more common.

Keywords: race, ethnicity, gender, identity, norm, stereotype, risk aversion, time preference

JEL Classification: C19, J15, J16, Z10

Suggested Citation

Benjamin, Daniel J. and Benjamin, Daniel J. and Choi, James J. and Strickland, A., Social Identity and Preferences (April 2008). Yale ICF Working Paper No. 08-13, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1124994

Daniel J. Benjamin (Contact Author)

USC, Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) ( email )

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Anderson School of Management ( email )

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Human Genetics Department, David Geffen School of Medicine ( email )

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James J. Choi

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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A. Strickland

affiliation not provided to SSRN

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