Influence Motives in Social Signaling: Evidence from COVID-19 Vaccinations in Germany
American Economic Review: Insights
vol. 5,
no. 2, June 2023
(pp. 275-91)
Abstract
We investigate whether a desire to influence others' choices affects our own behavior. To separate such influence motives from social pressure, we study participants' willingness to register for a COVID-19 vaccination in a field experiment in Germany. We vary whether participants' registration decisions are shared with a peer, to activate social pressure, and whether peers are informed before their own decision, to isolate influence motives. We find that influence motives double participants' registration likelihood, an effect driven by individuals with ex ante trust in the vaccine. Despite anticipating to influence their peers, participants cannot alter peer behavior in the experiment.Citation
Esguerra, Emilio, Leonhard Vollmer, and Johannes Wimmer. 2023. "Influence Motives in Social Signaling: Evidence from COVID-19 Vaccinations in Germany." American Economic Review: Insights, 5 (2): 275-91. DOI: 10.1257/aeri.20220163Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- C93 Field Experiments
- D12 Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
- D82 Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
- D91 Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
- I12 Health Behavior
- I18 Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health