Can Contracts Signal Social Norms? Experimental Evidence

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2336

References

  • Akerlof GA (1980) A theory of social custom, of which unemployment may be one consequence. Quart. J. Econom. 94:749–775.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Bardsley N, Sausgruber R (2005) Conformity and reciprocity in public good provision. J. Econom. Psych. 26:664–681.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Bartling B, Schmidt KM (2015) Reference points, social norms, and fairness in contract renegotiations. J. Eur. Econom. Assoc. 13:98–129.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Battigalli P, Dufwenberg M (2007) Guilt in games. Amer. Econom. Rev. 97:170–176.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Bénabou R, Tirole J (2003) Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Rev. Econom. Stud. 70:489–520.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Bénabou R, Tirole J (2006) Incentives and prosocial behavior. Amer. Econom. Rev. 96:1652–1678.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Bénabou R, Tirole J (2012) Laws and norms. IZA Discussion Paper 6290, IZA, Bonn, Germany.Google Scholar
  • Berg J, Dickhaut J, McCabe K (1995) Trust, reciprocity, and social history. Games Econom. Behav. 10:122–142.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Bernheim BD (1994) A theory of conformity. J. Political Econom. 102:841–877.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Bicchieri C (2006) The Grammar of Society: The Nature and Dynamics of Social Norms (Cambridge University Press, New York).Google Scholar
  • Bicchieri C, Xiao E (2009) Do the right thing: But only if others do so. J. Behavioral Decision Making 22:191–208.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Bowles S (2008) Policies designed for self-interested citizens may undermine “the moral sentiments”: Evidence from economic experiments. Science 320:1605–1609.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Bradler C, Dur R, Neckermann S, Non A (2016) Employee recognition and performance: A field experiment. Management Sci. 62:3085–3099.LinkGoogle Scholar
  • Burks SV, Krupka EL (2012) A multimethod approach to identifying norms and normative expectations within a corporate hierarchy: Evidence from the financial services industry. Management Sci. 58:203–217.LinkGoogle Scholar
  • Clark AE (2003) Unemployment as a social norm: Psychological evidence from panel data. J. Labor Econom. 21:323–351.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Costa-Gomes MA, Huck S, Weizsäcker G (2014) Beliefs and actions in the trust game: Creating instrumental variables to estimate the causal effect. Games Econom. Behav. 88:298–309.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Ellingsen T, Johannesson M (2008) Pride and prejudice: The human side of incentive theory. Amer. Econom. Rev. 98:990–1008.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Ellingsen T, Johannesson M, Tjøtta S, Torsvik G (2010) Testing guilt aversion. Games Econom. Behav. 68:95–107.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Elster J (1989) Social norms and economic theory. J. Econom. Perspect. 3:99–117.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Falk A, Kosfeld M (2006) The hidden costs of control. Amer. Econom. Rev. 96:1611–1630.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Fehr E, Falk A (2002) Psychological foundations of incentives. Eur. Econom. Rev. 46:687–724.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Fehr E, Fischbacher U (2004a) Social norms and human cooperation. Trends Cognitive Sci. 8:185–190.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Fehr E, Fischbacher U (2004b) Third-party punishment and social norms. Evolution Human Behav. 25:63–87.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Fehr E, List JA (2004) The hidden costs and returns of incentives—Trust and trustworthiness among CEOs. J. Eur. Econom. Assoc. 2:743–771.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Fehr E, Rockenbach B (2003) Detrimental effects of sanctions on human altruism. Nature 422:137–140.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Fehr E, Fischbacher U, Gächter S (2002) Strong reciprocity, human cooperation, and the enforcement of social norms. Human Nature 13:1–25.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Fischbacher U (2007) z-Tree: Zurich toolbox for ready-made economic experiments. Experiment. Econom. 10:171–178.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Fischer P, Huddart S (2008) Optimal contracting with endogenous social norms. Amer. Econom. Rev. 98:1459–1475.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Friebel G, Schnedler W (2011) Team governance: Empowerment or hierarchical control. J. Econom. Behav. Organ. 78:1–13.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Gächter S, Nosenzo D, Sefton M (2012) The impact of social comparisons on reciprocity. Scand. J. Econom. 114:1346–1367.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Galbiati R, Schlag KH, van der Weele JJ (2013) Sanctions that signal: An experiment. J. Econom. Behav. Organ. 94:34–51.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Gneezy U, Rustichini A (2000a) A fine is a price. J. Legal Stud. 29:1–18.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Gneezy U, Rustichini A (2000b) Pay enough or don’t pay at all. Quart. J. Econom. 115:791–810.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Greiner B (2004) An online recruitment system for economic experiments. Kremer K, Macho V, eds. Forschung und wissenschaftliches Rechnen (Gesellschaft für wissenschaftliche Datenverarbeitung, Göttingen, Germany), 79–93.Google Scholar
  • Gürerk Ö (2013) Social learning increases the acceptance and the efficiency of punishment institutions in social dilemmas. J. Econom. Psych. 34:229–239.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Hart O, Moore J (2008) Contracts as reference points. Quart. J. Econom. 123:1–48.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Huck S, Kübler D, Weibull J (2012) Social norms and economic incentives in firms. J. Econom. Behav. Organ. 83:173–185.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Ichino A, Maggi G (2000) Work environment and individual background: Explaining regional shirking differentials in a large Italian firm. Quart. J. Econom. 115:1057–1090.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Kessler JB, Leider S (2012) Norms and contracting. Management Sci. 58:62–77.LinkGoogle Scholar
  • Krupka E, Weber RA (2009) The focusing and informational effects of norms on pro-social behavior. J. Econom. Psych. 30:307–320.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Krupka EL, Leider S, Jiang M (2016) A meeting of the minds: Informal agreements and social norms. Management Sci., ePub ahead of print May 31, http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2016.2429LinkGoogle Scholar
  • Kübler D (2001) On the regulation of social norms. J. Law, Econom., Organ. 17:449–476.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Lindbeck A, Nyberg S, Weibull JW (1999) Social norms and economic incentives in the welfare state. Quart. J. Econom. 114:1–35.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Mellström C, Johannesson M (2008) Crowding out in blood donation: Was Titmuss right? J. Eur. Econom. Assoc. 6:845–863.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Selten R (1967) Die Strategiemethode zur Erforschung des eingeschränkt rationalen Verhaltens im Rahmen eines Oligopolexperimentes. Sauermann H, ed. Beiträge zur experimentellen Wirtschaftsforschung (J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), Tübingen, Germany), 136–168.Google Scholar
  • Servátka M (2009) Separating reputation, social influence, and identification effects in a dictator game. Eur. Econom. Rev. 53:197–209.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Sliwka D (2007) Trust as a signal of a social norm and the hidden costs of incentive schemes. Amer. Econom. Rev. 97:999–1012.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Stutzer A, Lalive R (2004) The role of social work norms in job searching and subjective well-being. J. Eur. Econom. Assoc. 2:696–719.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • van der Weele J (2012) The signaling power of sanctions in social dilemmas. J. Law, Econom., Organ. 28:103–126.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Young HP (2008) Social norms. Durlauf SN, Blume LE, eds. The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics (Nature Publishing Group, Basingstoke, UK), 647–651.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • Zizzo DJ (2010) Experimenter demand effects in economic experiments. Experiment. Econom. 13:75–98.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
INFORMS site uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some are essential to make our site work; Others help us improve the user experience. By using this site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. Please read our Privacy Statement to learn more.