Sharing the cake during a crisis: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on intertemporal altruism and efficiency concerns
通过在线实验，研究了美国居民在疫情期间如何分配私人支付和捐款，发现随着疫情发展，人们对效率的关注下降，而利他主义上升，且财务受影响程度是主要驱动因素。
This study examines inter-temporal distribution decisions on private payments and donations during the coronavirus pandemic. We simultaneously measured individual efficiency concerns, altruism and time preferences in an online experiment conducted among US residents during different stages of the crisis. Participants were asked to distribute money between different dates and recipients, that is, today versus in two weeks and private payouts versus donations to fight against the pandemic. To assess participants’ affectedness by COVID-19, we collected data on participants’ employment status and financial situation, as well as their individual vulnerability to COVID-19. We identify a decrease in individual preferences for efficiency over the progress of the pandemic. The reduction of efficiency concerns is driven by self-reported financial affectedness, but accompanied by an increase in altruism. Our results point at the crucial role of financial security for both efficiency-seeking behaviour and the willingness to provide support during the crisis. • Social dilemma between private and public interest under medical and economic factors. • Simultaneous assessment of efficiency considerations, altruism and time preferences. • The medical and financial threat of COVID-19 deteriorates efficiency considerations. • The pandemic boosts altruism, but keeps time preferences constant.