Social division,trust, and reciprocity among Chinese inmates |
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| Institution: | 1. Shaanxi Normal University, Center for Experimental Economics in Education, 620 West Chang''an Ave, Xi''an, Shaanxi, China, (86) 158-2900-9858;2. Department of Economics and Finance, Michael J. Coles College of Business, Kennesaw State University, 1000 Chastain Road, Kennesaw, Georgia 30144, (470) 578-6111;3. Shaanxi Normal University, Center for Experimental Economics in Education, 620 West Chang''an Ave, Xi''an, Shaanxi, China, (86)-134-8495-0704;4. Department of Economics and Business Management, Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Avenue, Decatur, Georgia 30030, (404) 471-6556;5. Shaanxi Normal University, Center for Experimental Economics in Education, 620 West Chang''an Ave, Xi''an, Shaanxi, China, (86)-138-9283-3777;1. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Tronto 10/A, Torrette di Ancona 60126, Italy;2. Faculty of Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and the Study of Religion, LMU Munich, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, Munich 80539, Germany;3. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, LMU Munich, Leopoldstrasse 13, Munich 80802, Germany;1. University of Alberta, Department of Economics, 9-08 HM Tory Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H4, Canada;2. Peking University HSBC Business School, Shenzhen, 518055, China |
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| Abstract: | Social capital promotes cooperation between people and, in turn, economic growth and stability. Trust and trustworthiness are components of social capital that are associated with economic success. This paper provides insight into the impact of social division on cooperative behavior. We use the one-shot investment game to measure trust and reciprocity among inmates in a Chinese prison, which offers an institutional setting that allows us to examine how social interaction, or a lack thereof, fosters cooperation. Results show that the variation in social division through physical separation does not have a significant impact on cooperative behavior among inmates. However, inmates are more trusting than our benchmark group of university students even though inmates have faced significant life challenges. While social interaction fails to boost trust and reciprocity, childhood experience and family environment mold social preferences. In particular, reciprocity deteriorates for those who have migrant mothers. |
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