Image Concerns in Economic Behavior

In the field of economics, the concept of image concerns has gained significant traction over the past two decades. This concept addresses the limitations of traditional models of other-regarding preferences, which often fall short in explaining complex phenomena such as crowding out and adherence to detrimental norms. Image concerns, encompassing aspects like intelligence, competence, morality, and identity, have been shown to influence a wide array of economic behaviors, including investment, education, voting, and prosocial activities. These concerns provide a framework for understanding how economic incentives, psychological motivations, and social dynamics converge to shape individual decision-making. Despite the progress made in understanding these dynamics, there remain substantial gaps in the literature, particularly regarding the nuanced ways in which image concerns manifest and interact with other social constructs. This ongoing debate highlights the need for further investigation into the multifaceted nature of image concerns and their implications for economic behavior.

This research topic aims to explore the complex role of image concerns in economic decision-making. We seek to address a variety of questions, such as the conditions under which image concerns become significant, the diversity in how individuals experience these concerns, and the interaction between self-image and social image. Additionally, we aim to examine the relationship between image concerns and other social constructs, such as norms and identities, and to develop innovative methods for measuring these concerns in real-world settings. Ultimately, the goal is to understand the welfare implications of image concerns and provide insights that can inform policy-making.

To gather further insights in the domain of image concerns in economic behavior, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• The significance and impact of image concerns in various economic contexts
• Variability in image concerns across different populations and settings
• The interaction between self-image and social image, and among different types of image concerns
• The relationship between image concerns and social constructs like norms and identities
• Innovative methodologies for measuring image concerns, particularly in field settings
• The welfare consequences of image concerns and their implications for policy development.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: self- and social image, reputation, social influence, norms and identity, conformity, social comparison

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.