Article, 2024

Intertemporal Altruism

American Economic Journal Microeconomics, ISSN 1945-7669, Volume 16, 1, Pages 329-357, 10.1257/mic.20210319

Contributors

Chopra F. 0000-0002-7621-1045 [1] Falk A. 0000-0002-7284-3002 [2] Graeber T. (Corresponding author) [3]

Affiliations

  1. [1] University of Copenhagen
    2. [NORA names: KU University of Copenhagen; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
  2. [2] University of Bonn
    3. [NORA names: Germany; Europe, EU; OECD];
  3. [3] Harvard Business School
    4. [NORA names: United States; America, North; OECD]

Abstract

Most prosocial decisions involve intertemporal trade-offs. Yet, the timing of prosocial utility flows is ambiguous and bypassed by most models of other- regarding preferences. We study the behavioral implications of the time structure of prosocial utility, leveraging a conceptual distinction between consequence- dated and choice- dated utility flows. We conduct a high- stakes donation experiment that comprehensively characterizes discounting behavior in self- other tradeoffs and allows us to identify different prosocial motives from their distinct time profiles. Our data can only be explained by a combination of choice- and consequence- dated prosocial utility. Both motives are pervasive and negatively correlated at the individual level. (JEL D15, D64, D91, I12, L31)

Funders

  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
  • Danmarks Grundforskningsfond
  • European Research Council
  • Economics Department at the University of Bonn

Data Provider: Elsevier

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