Examination of The Relationship Between Muslim Piety Typologies and Altruism: An Ultimatum and Dictator Game Application

Abstract

The Western-based economic theory developed by puttingHomoeconomicus individual assumption into the center of theory. Rationalindividuals make their economic decisions by acting to maximize theirprofits and utilities. In an economy in which everyone behaves according totheir own interests, economic equilibrium arises without the need forexternal interventions. However, Islam advises people to behave morealtruistic while making their economic decisions. According to Holy Qur’anand Sunnah, people should not only think about their own interests but alsothe interests of others in their environment. Because of this reason, one of themost important differences between Islamic economics and Western-basedeconomic theories are revealed. On the other hand, there is an expectationthat traditional piety people should behave more altruistic while makingtheir economic decisions. Research on behavioral economics has increasedsince the end of the 1970s. Academic researches conducted with ultimatum,dictator and public goods game aim to eliminate the uncertainty aboutpeople’s decision-making processes. Such games are also used in academicresearches to reveal how they share their resources with others. In otherwords, these games query whether individuals are altruistic. The aim of thisresearch is to examine whether people’s economic decisions differ accordingto piety typologies (traditional, secular and popular). For that purpose, weconducted a survey on the internet between 10.01.2020 and 31.12.2020. Inthis survey, we used questions, which are asked in the literature about theultimatum and dictator games. According to the results of this survey, it isrevealed that people generally reject unfair offers and traditional piouspeople behave more altruistic. Traditional pious people are more altruistic inmaking their economic decisions. It is revealed that Piety typologies andIslam affect human behavior. These results show that economic decisionsmade in Europe and Muslim societies may differ from each other. Inaddition to this, results inspire new researches to be done on this subject.