Health Hazard Discrimination or Prejudice? A Field Experiment

Abstract

We explore the distinction between rational behavior driven by genuine health hazard (statistical discrimination), and discrimination rooted in pre-existing stereotypes or biases (prejudice). Using the early and uneven spread of COVID-19 in Northern Italy as a case study, we conducted an email correspondence experiment with Italian tourism providers. Emails with northern-sounding surnames received nearly 5 percentage points fewer responses and faced higher rejection rates compared to those with neutral-sounding surnames. This disparity appears to stem from negative stereotypes associated with northern Italians, who were perceived as the initial spreaders of the pandemic in Italy.

Keywords: Discrimination, Prejudice, Social Stigma, COVID-19

JEL Classification: C93, I18, J15