Impact of Displacement on the Development of Social Preferences and Trust

The world is increasingly facing displacements due to conflicts and climate change. These displacements, especially those caused by violence, profoundly affect children's cognitive and emotional development, with potential long-term societal repercussions. This project examines how displacement impacts the development of social preferences and trust in children. By studying the influence of these displacements on trust, cooperation, and social norms, this research advances social sciences and informs policies promoting prosocial behavior and trust. The findings aim to guide community initiatives that support displaced families, fostering social cohesion and economic integration. Ultimately, the goal is to build more cohesive and resilient communities, thereby enhancing societal welfare, national stability, prosperity, and overall societal benefits. The project studies how displacement affects children's and adolescents’ social preferences, trust, and social norms, particularly focusing on those displaced by intergroup conflicts. Through behavioral economics experiments and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving children, adolescents, and their parents, the project will evaluate fairness, trust, trustworthiness, cooperation, and gender-specific social norms. Including adults in the study aims to understand how social preferences and norms are transmitted across generations. This multidisciplinary project integrates expertise in education, behavioral economics, and developmental psychology. The research seeks to provide evidence-based recommendations for policy interventions that enhance prosocial motivations, trust, and cooperation, ultimately supporting governance and societal well-being. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.