The long-term effects of genocide on antisocial preferences

Abstract

We conduct an artefactual field experiment to examine the long-term effects of exposure to violence due to the Cambodian genocide (1975–1979), during childhood and adolescence, on individuals’ antisocial behaviors. Since antisocial behavior can co-exist with other preferences, we also investigate the effect of this exposure on prosocial and risk-taking behaviors. We find that as district-level mortality rates increase, individuals who directly experienced violence during the genocide period exhibit greater antisocial and risk-taking behaviors decades later. These effects are relatively muted among individuals who did not directly experience genocidal violence. The results imply significant long-term effects on antisocial and risk preferences in association with direct exposure to genocidal violence.