Loading...
Moral Costs and Rational Choice: Theory and Experimental Evidence
Cox, James ; List, John ; Price, Michael ; Sadiraj, Vjollca ; Samek, Anya
Cox, James
List, John
Price, Michael
Sadiraj, Vjollca
Samek, Anya
Citations
Altmetric:
Abstract
The literature exploring other-regarding behavior uncovers interesting phenomena, yet the extent the data subscribes to foundational assumptions of economics is not well understood. We explain how recent work challenges rational choice theory as well as its special case, convex preference theory. We propose a new axiom that modifies classic choice theory and exhibits choice monotonicity to observable reference points, establishing consistency with otherwise-anomalous data. We design experiments that provide a direct test of the new axiom. Data from our experiments and previous dictator experiments support the new axiom. We also apply the new axiom to several sequential strategic games.
Description
Date
2019-02-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Collections
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
rational choice, moral reference points, giving, taking, experiment