Kim Lehrer, Universite de Sherbrooke

Kim Lehrer will present a seminar at 4:00 pm.

Title: Charitable Dictators? Determinants of Giving to NGOs in Uganda (with Catherine Porter, Heriot-Watt University)

Location: Arts 807

Abstract: We play a modified dictator game in Kampala, Uganda with students, civil servants, and individuals from the private sector. The sample includes both Ugandans and expatriates. In the dictator game, participants divide a sum of (real) money (equivalent to approximately $10) between themselves and a local charity chosen from a list provided. In a `"turning a blind eye'' treatment, participants are given the choice of knowing the identity of the recipient. Finally, participants were asked whether they would like to add their own money to the amount those chose to allocate to their selected charity. Contrary to many experimental findings, non-students (civil servants) were not significantly more generous than students. In fact, after controlling for demographic characteristics, their average donation was significantly lower than that of students. Only very few individuals donated their own money to the charity, despite 30% of participants donating the full endowment. Attitudes to charities, including the belief that NGOs were doing good work in Uganda, do not predict the amount donated in the expected way.
 

This seminar is part of the Department of Economics Seminar Series.

Everyone is welcome to attend.