Publication in the American Economic Review
How does altruism differ across individuals and societies? A new paper, authored by Alexander W. Cappelen, Benjamin Enke, and Bertil Tungodden, draws on surveys from 60 countries and over 64,000 respondents to uncover key insights into the cultural, demographic, and institutional factors that shape universalist preferences and their links to trust, politics, and societal organization.
A study published in the American Economic Review explores the nuances of altruism and its relationship-specific nature. Authored by Alexander W. Cappelen, Benjamin Enke, and Bertil Tungodden, the paper uses data from 64,000 respondents across 60 countries to investigate how universalist preferences—altruism extending beyond close networks to broader societal or global concerns—vary significantly across demographics and cultural contexts.
The findings reveal that universalism correlates with individual traits such as age and religiosity, often predicting left-wing political views. However, these patterns differ across cultural settings, reflecting substantial heterogeneity in how altruism manifests. At a national level, the study highlights a strong link between universalist preferences and a broader radius of trust, emphasizing the role of societal organization in shaping altruistic tendencies.
Moreover, the research connects universalism to the economic, political, and religious frameworks of societies, suggesting that altruism is influenced by economic incentives and democratic institutions. These insights underscore the complexity of altruism as a socially and economically contingent phenomenon, offering valuable implications for understanding trust, cooperation, and political ideologies worldwide.