The relationship between the availability heuristic and trust in the lens of the Black Lives Matter movement Open Access

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of the availability heuristic on trust levels between different ethnic groups in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement. 78 students of different ethnicities participated in two treatments of the trust game, during which one treatment group was reminded of the BLM movement through a questionnaire before playing. The amount of endowment sent and returned during the game is used to understand the extent to which trust and trustworthiness levels between ethnic groups change, if at all, when participants recall the BLM movement at different levels of ease. Results show that trust levels are higher when an individual can recall the BLM movement with greater ease. Trust and trustworthiness are higher between individuals of different ethnicities.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………1

2 Background ………………………………………………………………..………………..…………...4

2.1 Trust and Measurements of Trust ……………….……………………….………………...…….4

2.2 Availability Heuristic ………………………………………………….…………..…….…...........6

3 Experimental Design …………………………………………………………….…..……………..….8

3.1 Setting and Recruitment …………………………………………….………………..…....……...8

3.2 Sign-up …………………………………………………………………………………………...…….9

3.3 Pre-Experiment …………………………………………………………………….……..……......10

3.4 The Trust Game ………………………………………………………………………..………...….12

3.5 Post-Experiment ……………………………………………….………………………..……….....16

4 Results ………………………………………….…………………………………..………………...….17

4.1 Determinants of Trust ………………………...………………………………….…………….....20

4.2 Determinants of Trustworthiness ……………....………………………….………………......24

5 Discussion …………………………………..……………………………………….……………….....26

5.1 Sample Size ……………………….………………………………………….……...…………..…..26

5.2 Sample Characteristics ……………………….………………………….……….…….………....27

5.2.1 Education ……………………………………….……………………….…….……...........…….28

5.2.2 Age ………………………………………….….…………………………….….…….........….….28

5.2.3 Diversity on Campus …………………………………….………….….…………..............…29

5.2.4 Familiarity with BLM Movement …….……………….……….……...…..............……....29

5.3 Experimental Design ………………………………………….……….……….…..………..…...32

5.4 Implications ……………………………………………………………….…………..…..……..…33

References………………………………………………………………………..……….……...……....35

Appendices ………………………………………………………………..……………….………….….42

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Economics
Degree	B.S.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Economics, General
Keyword	availability heuristic trust game behavioral economics ethnicity
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Lanier, Kelli, Emory University
Committee Members	Longhofer, Wesley, Emory University Chen, Kaiji, Emory University

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