Moving On Up: The Impact of Income Mobility on Antisocial Behaviour

Abstract

While the causes for upward income mobility have received considerable attention, the behavioral impact of the prospect of mobility has been largely overlooked. Using a survey and experiment, we investigate if the prospect of mobility influences antisocial behavior. In our experiment, low- and high-income participants make decisions in an investment game in which, at a cost, they can reduce others’ payoff. A unique feature of the experiment is that low-income participants can move up the income distribution, via chance or effort. Results show that immobility fuels antisocial behavior, in particular towards high-income participants.