Analytical thinking, prosocial voting, and intergroup competition: experimental evidence from China

Rebecca B. Morton, Kai Ou, Xiangdong Qin

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    We investigate whether and how analytical thinking affects Muslims’ prosocial voting towards in-group (fellow Muslims) and out-group (Han Chinese) members. We conduct an incentivized laboratory-style voting experiment in western China, where tension and competition exist between the two ethnic groups. We find a significant negative effect of analytical thinking on prosocial voting in general. We also find that the effect of analytical thinking is related to group identity: A strong and significant negative effect is found on behavior towards out-group members, but a small and generally insignificant effect towards in-group members. Our results are consistent with group competition affecting the benefits and costs of prosocial voting, and those benefits and costs become more salient when engaging in analytical thinking.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)363-385
    Number of pages23
    JournalPublic Choice
    Volume191
    Issue number3-4
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Jun 2022

    Keywords

    • Analytical thinking
    • Chinese Muslim
    • Ethnic identity
    • Intergroup competition
    • Lab-in-the-field experiment

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Sociology and Political Science
    • Economics and Econometrics

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