Let's Get Personal: An International Examination of the Influence of Communication, Culture and Social Distance on Other Regarding Preferences

26 Pages Posted: 7 Jan 2009

See all articles by Nancy Buchan

Nancy Buchan

University of Wisconsin - Madison - Department of Marketing

Eric J. Johnson

Columbia University - Columbia Business School, Marketing

Rachel T. A. Croson

Michigan State University

Date Written: July 2006

Abstract

This paper identifies when other-regarding preferences (ORPs) such as trust, reciprocity and altruism will likely arise. We experimentally examine the influence of social distance and communication on ORPs in four countries. We demonstrate that country of origin significantly influences ORPs, but also find mixed support for the relationship between ORPs and social distance; increasing social distance has the expected negative effect in the individually oriented U.S., but its effects internationally are different. This interaction is explained by an individual's cultural orientation. Finally, we show strong evidence that personal but irrelevant communication significantly increases ORPs.

Keywords: Trust, Reciprocity, International, Communication, Social distance

Suggested Citation

Buchan, Nancy and Johnson, Eric J. and Croson, Rachel T. A., Let's Get Personal: An International Examination of the Influence of Communication, Culture and Social Distance on Other Regarding Preferences (July 2006). Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Vol. 60, No. 3, 2006, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1323480

Nancy Buchan (Contact Author)

University of Wisconsin - Madison - Department of Marketing ( email )

975 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706
United States

Eric J. Johnson

Columbia University - Columbia Business School, Marketing ( email )

New York, NY 10027
United States

Rachel T. A. Croson

Michigan State University ( email )

East Lansing, MI 48824
United States

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