Status Inequality, Moral Disengagement and Violence

31 Pages Posted: 31 Aug 2017

See all articles by Armin Falk

Armin Falk

University of Bonn - Economic Science Area; briq - Institute on Behavior & Inequality

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Abstract

This paper studies the causal effect of status differences on moral disengagement and violence. To measure violent behavior, in the experiment, a subject can inflict a painful electric shock on another subject in return for money. We exogenously vary relative status in the realm of sexual attractiveness. In three between-subject conditions, the assigned other subject is either of higher, lower or equal status. The incidence of electric shocks is substantially higher among subjects matched with higher- and lower-status others, relative to subjects matched with equal-status others. This causal evidence on the role of status inequality on violence suggests an important societal cost of economic and social inequalities.

Keywords: morality, violence, status, inequality, laboratory experiments

JEL Classification: A13, C91, D03, Z13

Suggested Citation

Falk, Armin, Status Inequality, Moral Disengagement and Violence. IZA Discussion Paper No. 10921, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3029791 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3029791

Armin Falk (Contact Author)

University of Bonn - Economic Science Area ( email )

briq - Institute on Behavior & Inequality

Schaumburg-Lippe-Straße 5-9
Bonn, 53113
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.briq-institute.org/

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
31
Abstract Views
344
PlumX Metrics