Abstract

Randomizing different schools of thought on cultivating prosociality among high-stakes decision makers in Pakistan suggests that training the utilitarian value of empathy elevates prosociality. One month after training, treated civil servants display 0.4-0.6 sigma greater altruism; two to four months after, orphanage visits and blood donations double. Field and lab results suggest improved theory of mind in strategic dilemmas: blood donations only increased when treated individuals were requested their exact blood type, and training improved cooperation, coordination, honesty and guessing the decisions of others (Nagel 1995). Treated individuals were more likely to choose a book on empathy in a book lottery, score higher on a soft-skills course, and increase language of social cohesion in social media. Training a school of thought on malleability of the self had no effects relative to the placebo, even in conjunction with the utilitarian value of empathy. We interpret these null effects through the lens of self-image models because malleability of identity breaks the link from actions to perceptions of prosociality.

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Reference

Daniel L. Chen ( IAST), “Training Effective Altruism”, IAST Lunch Seminar, Toulouse: IAST, March 30, 2021, 12:45–13:45, room Zoom.