Expert Advice Boosts Cooperation? New Experiment Shows Surprising Results

Divided societies often face conflict and inadequate public goods. This study tests two interventions to improve intergroup cooperation in Lebanon: cross-group expert appeal and structured discussions between Sunnis and Shias.

🔍 Data & Methods

A laboratory-in-the-field experiment was conducted in Beirut involving 360 participants (180 Shia, 180 Sunni). Two treatments were examined:

• Cross-group expert appeal: Participants heard arguments from respected third-party experts.
• Deep cross-group discussions: These focused on conflict origins and solutions rather than surface-level topics.

📊 Key Findings

• Expert appeal significantly increases cooperation, even without reciprocal exchange.
• Superficial cross-group discussions show limited improvement in cooperation. However, discussions delving into causes and remedies are linked to greater cooperation.
• Both interventions fail to reduce the effectiveness of sectarian clientelistic appeals.

🤔 Why It Matters

These results suggest that enhancing intergroup cooperation is possible even in deeply divided regions like the Middle East, potentially offering pathways to overcome barriers.