Masks, Cameras and Social Pressure

Abstract

In this paper, we report the results of two experiments that randomise the share of individuals who are taking an action in subjects' immediate environment. Despite the differences between our two settings (face masks and online camera use), we uncover some empirical results that are common to both. First, we find that the share of individuals taking the relevant action is increasing in the share of others who take this action (although the relationship need not be linear). Second, and despite this, we find that many individuals nonetheless defy social pressure. Third, we are able to estimate the distribution of individual thresholds (i.e. the points at which individuals switch from not taking an action to taking it) and find that these thresholds are very heterogeneous. We also show that, once embedded in dynamic models, our estimates predict that individuals will end up doing very different things despite engaging in copying-like behaviour.

Keywords: social norms, field experiment, dynamic models

JEL Classification: D90, C93, C73