Pre-Analysis Plan for A Public Goods Game in Urban Uganda

Previous research has shown randomising the language of public goods games leads to significantly different contribution levels for bilingual subjects. However, the mechanism is not well understood. In the first paper described here we will measure norms and expectations, testing each as candidate mechanisms. Do bilingual people contribute more in one language because they feel they should, expect others to do so, or have internalised certain behaviours? This has direct relevance for bilingual subjects (the majority of the world) as well as shedding light on the importance of frames for revealed preferences. In addition to testing mechanisms, this experiment will act as a robustness check on Clist & Verschoor (2017, JDE), by examining the same question in a new (urban) setting.

In a second paper, we will examine the role of place in determining norms and expectations. Our experiment will be conducted in Kampala, amongst people with an ethnic or cultural link to a more rural eastern part of Uganda (Bugishu). All subjects will then have at least two geographical references. We will measure norms and expectations for our Kampala-based subject pool regarding behaviour in both Kampala and Bugishu. For norms this will make use of a novel hypothetical design. This will allow us to examine how internal migration, and the associated places, affect norms and expectations of cooperative behaviour.

In a third paper, we will examine how these differences manifest over the length of time a person has been exposed to a given place. We will compare the most recent arrivals to Kampala with others, in order to see whether norms and expectations can be learnt. We will also compare those that visit Bugishu more frequently with others, in order to see whether norms and expectations can be unlearnt.