eprintid: 24503
rev_number: 16
eprint_status: archive
userid: 42
dir: disk0/00/02/45/03
datestamp: 2018-05-16 11:37:21
lastmod: 2018-05-16 11:40:37
status_changed: 2018-05-16 11:37:21
type: workingPaper
succeeds: 22262
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Merkel, Anna
creators_name: Lohse, Johannes
title: Is fairness intuitive? An experiment accounting for subjective utility differences under time pressure
subjects: ddc-330
divisions: i-181000
keywords: distributional preferences, cooperation, time pressure, response times, cognitive processes, drift diffusion models
abstract: Evidence from response time studies and time pressure experiments has led several authors to conclude that "fairness is intuitive". In light of conflicting findings we provide theoretical arguments showing under which conditions an increase in "fairness” due to time pressure indeed provides unambiguous evidence in favor of the "fairness is intuitive" hypothesis. Drawing on recent applications of the Drift Diffusion Model (Krajbich et al., 2015a), we demonstrate how the subjective diffculty of making a choice affects decisions under time pressure and time delay, there by making an unambiguous interpretation of time pressure effects contingent on the choice situation. To explore our theoretical considerations and to retest the "fairness is intuitive" hypothesis, we analyze choices in two-person binary dictator and prisoner’s dilemma games under time pressure or time delay. In addition, we manipulate the subjective difficulty of choosing the fair relative to the selfish option. Our main finding is that time pressure does not consistently promote fairness in situations where this would be predicted after accounting for choice difficulty. Hence, our results cast doubt on the hypothesis that "fairness is intuitive".
date: 2018-05
id_scheme: DOI
id_number: 10.11588/heidok.00024503
schriftenreihe_cluster_id: sr-3
schriftenreihe_order: 0647
ppn_swb: 1655316621
own_urn: urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-heidok-245036
language: eng
bibsort: MERKELANNAISFAIRNESS201805
full_text_status: public
series: Discussion Paper Series, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics
volume: 0647
place_of_pub: Heidelberg
pages: 46
citation:   Merkel, Anna ; Lohse, Johannes  (2018) Is fairness intuitive? An experiment accounting for subjective utility differences under time pressure.  [Working paper]     
document_url: https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/24503/1/Merkel_Lohse_2018_dp647.pdf