TY - JOUR
T1 - Social norms, inequality and child labor
AU - Goto, Hideaki
PY - 2011/12
Y1 - 2011/12
N2 - This paper theoretically analyzes a situation wherein adults' decisions on child labor are affected not only by materialistic utility but also by a social norm against child labor. The adult thus faces a tradeoff; on the one hand, household income rises if she sends her child to work. On the other hand, the adult suffers disutility from violating the social norm in so doing. We also suppose that the extent of disutility falls as more other adults have their children work. We then explore how the total amount of child labor in an economy changes as adults' labor efficiencies rise or become more unequal. Our analysis reveals that a more equal distribution or rises in adults' labor efficiency help decrease child labor only under certain conditions.
AB - This paper theoretically analyzes a situation wherein adults' decisions on child labor are affected not only by materialistic utility but also by a social norm against child labor. The adult thus faces a tradeoff; on the one hand, household income rises if she sends her child to work. On the other hand, the adult suffers disutility from violating the social norm in so doing. We also suppose that the extent of disutility falls as more other adults have their children work. We then explore how the total amount of child labor in an economy changes as adults' labor efficiencies rise or become more unequal. Our analysis reveals that a more equal distribution or rises in adults' labor efficiency help decrease child labor only under certain conditions.
KW - Child labor
KW - Demand and supply of labor
KW - Inequality
KW - Social norms
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80053379749&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80053379749&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.socec.2011.08.026
DO - 10.1016/j.socec.2011.08.026
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:80053379749
VL - 40
SP - 806
EP - 814
JO - Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics
JF - Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics
SN - 2214-8043
IS - 6
ER -