Thou shalt not covet: Prohibitions, temptation and moral values

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Cervellati, Matteo; Vanin, Paolo
• 署名单位: University of Bologna; IZA Institute Labor Economics
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2013.04.001
• 发表日期: 2013
• 页码: 15-28
• 关键词: Prohibitions; temptation; self-control; Moral values; crime

摘要

This paper proposes a theory of the relationship between prohibitions and temptation. In the presence of self-control problems, moral values may increase individual material welfare (and utility) by serving as a self-commitment device. The model investigates the relationship between morality and temptation, the individual gains from morality, the interaction between external sanctions and moral self-punishment and the spread and strength of individually optimal moral values. The empirical analysis, based on survey data for a large set of countries, documents a hump-shaped pattern of morality in social class, which supports the theoretical predictions of the model. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.