Self-serving bias in redistribution choices: Accounting for beliefs and norms

Dianna R. Amasino, Davide Domenico Pace and Joël van der Weele

Journal of Economic Psychology, 2023, vol. 98, issue C

Abstract: We explore the psychological mechanisms underlying self-serving redistribution decisions in an experimental setting. This self-serving bias in redistribution has been attributed not only to self-interest, but also to constructs such as differing beliefs about the hard work or luck underlying inequality, differing fairness views, and differing perceptions of social norms. In this study, we directly measure each of these potential mechanisms and compare their mediating roles in the relationship between status and redistribution. In our experiment, participants complete real-effort tasks and then are randomly assigned a high or low pay rate per correct answer to exogenously induce (dis)advantaged status. Participants are then paired and those assigned the role of dictator decide how to divide their joint earnings. We find that advantaged dictators keep more for themselves than disadvantaged dictators and report different fairness views and beliefs about task performance, but not different perceptions of social norms. Further, only fairness views play a significant mediating role between status and allocation differences, suggesting this is the primary mechanism underlying self-serving differences in support for redistribution.

Keywords: Redistribution; Self-serving bias; Fairness; Norms; Online experiments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 D63 D83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:98:y:2023:i:c:s0167487023000557

DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2023.102654

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