Biases in choices about fairness: Psychology and economic inequality

This paper investigates choices about ``distributional fairness'' (sometimes called ``distributive justice''), i.e., selection of the proper way for resources to be distributed in group. The study finds evidence that several of the same biases of risky decision making also apply...

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Main Author: Zachary Michaelson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2015-03-01
Series:Judgment and Decision Making
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.sjdm.org/13/13923b/jdm13923b.pdf
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author Zachary Michaelson
author_facet Zachary Michaelson
author_sort Zachary Michaelson
collection DOAJ
description This paper investigates choices about ``distributional fairness'' (sometimes called ``distributive justice''), i.e., selection of the proper way for resources to be distributed in group. The study finds evidence that several of the same biases of risky decision making also apply to choices about distributional fairness, in particular focusing on the key biases that lead to prospect theory. This finding is achieved by introducing a novel thought experiment regarding the fairness of resource distributions, then manipulating the percentage of individuals who gain or lose in these distributions, and changing the sizes of gains and losses. Shared biases may mean similar heuristics are being employed. The mechanism behind this result leaves room for future exploration, as do the implications of the finding for related applications in inequality research.
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spelling doaj.art-c41f72c1f2054998b912c5536d968e092023-09-02T16:27:04ZengCambridge University PressJudgment and Decision Making1930-29752015-03-01102198203Biases in choices about fairness: Psychology and economic inequalityZachary MichaelsonThis paper investigates choices about ``distributional fairness'' (sometimes called ``distributive justice''), i.e., selection of the proper way for resources to be distributed in group. The study finds evidence that several of the same biases of risky decision making also apply to choices about distributional fairness, in particular focusing on the key biases that lead to prospect theory. This finding is achieved by introducing a novel thought experiment regarding the fairness of resource distributions, then manipulating the percentage of individuals who gain or lose in these distributions, and changing the sizes of gains and losses. Shared biases may mean similar heuristics are being employed. The mechanism behind this result leaves room for future exploration, as do the implications of the finding for related applications in inequality research.http://journal.sjdm.org/13/13923b/jdm13923b.pdfdistributional fairness Allais paradox isolation effect certainty effect peanuts effect inequality reflection effect prospect theory.NAKeywords
spellingShingle Zachary Michaelson
Biases in choices about fairness: Psychology and economic inequality
Judgment and Decision Making
distributional fairness
Allais paradox
isolation effect
certainty effect
peanuts effect
inequality
reflection effect
prospect theory.NAKeywords
title Biases in choices about fairness: Psychology and economic inequality
title_full Biases in choices about fairness: Psychology and economic inequality
title_fullStr Biases in choices about fairness: Psychology and economic inequality
title_full_unstemmed Biases in choices about fairness: Psychology and economic inequality
title_short Biases in choices about fairness: Psychology and economic inequality
title_sort biases in choices about fairness psychology and economic inequality
topic distributional fairness
Allais paradox
isolation effect
certainty effect
peanuts effect
inequality
reflection effect
prospect theory.NAKeywords
url http://journal.sjdm.org/13/13923b/jdm13923b.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT zacharymichaelson biasesinchoicesaboutfairnesspsychologyandeconomicinequality