A stepping stone approach to norm transitions
| bracu.type.group | Research Publications | |
| datacite.rights | Metadata Only | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gulesci, Selim | |
| dc.contributor.author | Jindani, Sam | |
| dc.contributor.author | La Ferrara, Eliana | |
| dc.contributor.author | Smerdon, David | |
| dc.contributor.author | Sulaiman, Munshi | |
| dc.contributor.author | Young, Peyton | |
| dc.contributor.department | BRAC Institute of Governance and Development | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-29T03:49:53Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-29T03:49:53Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-07-01 | |
| dc.description.abstract | We propose a model to study when an intermediate action can serve as a stepping stone that enables the elimination of a harmful norm. While the intermediate action may facilitate the first “step,” it may also become a new norm. We derive intuitive conditions for stepping stones, which depend on the relative size of social penalties and intrinsic utility benefits. We propose an econometric approach to testing whether an intermediate action is a stepping stone, and apply it to original data on female genital cutting in Somalia. The analysis shows that the intermediate action may become the new norm. © 2025 American Economic Association. All rights reserved | |
| dc.description.version | Published | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Gulesci, Selim, Sam Jindani, Eliana La Ferrara, David Smerdon, Munshi Sulaiman, and Peyton Young. 2025. "A Stepping Stone Approach to Norm Transitions." American Economic Review 115 (7): 2237–66. DOI: 10.1257/aer.20230458 | |
| dc.identifier.doi | 10.1257/aer.20230458 | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 00028282 | |
| dc.identifier.other | 2-s2.0-105022807037 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10361/28667 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.publisher | American Economic Association | |
| dc.relation.hasversion | 10.1257/aer.20230458 | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | American Economic Review | |
| dc.relation.ispartofseries | American Economic Review | |
| dc.relation.journal | American Economic Review | |
| dc.relation.uri | https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.20230458 | |
| dc.rights | false | |
| dc.subject | INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREAS::Technology and social change | |
| dc.subject | Female circumcision | |
| dc.subject | Social norms | |
| dc.subject | Somalia social conditions | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Female genital mutilation--Somalia. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Sex customs--Somalia. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Female genital mutilation--Complications. | |
| dc.title | A stepping stone approach to norm transitions | |
| dc.type | Article | |
| oaire.citation.issue | 7 | |
| oaire.citation.volume | 115 | |
| person.affiliation.name | Trinity College Dublin | |
| person.affiliation.name | National University of Singapore | |
| person.affiliation.name | Harvard University | |
| person.affiliation.name | The University of Queensland | |
| person.affiliation.name | BRAC University | |
| person.affiliation.name | University of Oxford | |
| person.identifier.scopus-author-id | 35797073200 | |
| person.identifier.scopus-author-id | 57906921200 | |
| person.identifier.scopus-author-id | 6602346419 | |
| person.identifier.scopus-author-id | 57201983137 | |
| person.identifier.scopus-author-id | 25937545500 | |
| person.identifier.scopus-author-id | 60209480200 |