‘Everybody’s Doing It’ Essays on trust, social norms and integration

This thesis investigates three topics at the intersection of behavioural and development economics, using a combination of experiments, econometric analysis and mathematical theory. The essays are borne out of topical questions with important policy implications. The first essay seeks to answer why some social norms that are inefficient - or even damaging - manage to persist for so long, and proposes solutions to break them down. The second essay explores the well-known phenomenon that countries with higher income inequality have lower trust, and asks: Does it matter whether the rich got there by hard work, through greed or just by being born lucky? The final essay provides insights into the social impact of refugee resettlement on locals in host communities, using a field experiment in a town in rural Australia. Together, the essays demonstrate that the rigorous scientific methods of modern economics can help to answer a range of important and relevant questions that affect both individuals and groups.