Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/219127 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 8309
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
Aggressive behavior against out-group members often rises during periods of economic hardship and health pandemics. Here we test the widespread concern that the Covid-19 crisis may fuel hostility against people from other nations or ethnic minorities. Using a controlled money-burning task, we elicited hostile behavior among a nationally representative sample (n=2,186) in the Czech Republic, at a time when the entire population was under lockdown. We provide causal evidence that exogenously elevating salience of Covid-related thoughts magnifies hostility against foreigners – people living in the EU, the USA and especially Asia. This behavioral response is large in magnitude and holds across various demographic sub-groups. At the same time, we find virtually no effects on behavior towards domestic out-groups, including minorities and migrants. The results underscore the importance of not inflaming anti-foreigner sentiments and suggest that efforts to restore international trade and cooperation will need to address both social and economic damage.
Subjects: 
COVID-19 pandemic
scapegoating
hostility
inter-group conflict
discrimination
experiment
JEL: 
C90
D01
D63
D91
J15
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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