Choosing an equitable or efficient option: A distribution dilemma

Abstract

We conducted a 3 × 3 × 2 experiment to verify the moral preference hypothesis and extend the boundary conditions of the moral frame effect. Participants played a trade-off game (TOG), in which they unilaterally choose between an equitable or efficient option. We manipulated the labeling of the options to describe the equitable versus efficient option as morally right, and controlled the amount of the stakes and division schemes in the TOG. We found there was a significant effect of moral frame when stakes were low in the TOG, and participants would choose a morally right option whether it was equitable or efficient. However, the effect of moral frame was nonsignificant when the stakes were high. In addition, the division schemes in the TOG had a great impact on the moral frame effect. Therefore, we found that when participants’ interest in the options remains the same or the changes are small, and other players’ interest changes greatly, the moral frame effect is not significant.

Maxims nudge equitable or efficient choices in a Trade-Off Game

“…Capraro and Rand (2018) found that the moral frame can significantly influence the distributor's equal and efficient preferences [14]. Huang et al (2019) found that when participants' interest changes greatly, the effect of the moral frame is more significant [15]. However, these two studies require participant responsibility for the decision whether to change the existing division scheme, which may explain the difference those results and the results of our study.…”

“…If participants are not affected by maxims, regardless of the scenario, the distribute choice should be the same or similar, and there should be no significant difference in the equal preference of the scenarios. However, according to the nudging theory, availability heuristics, and empirical research [14,15,23], we speculate that participants' equal preference is affected by relevant information, such as maxims and social norms. Therefore, we proposed the following hypothesis:…”

“…This explores whether the nudging effect of maxims is affected by changes in the participant's interests. Studies have divergent views on whether decision-making is affected by changes in the participant's interests [14,15,28]. Therefore, we proposed the following hypothesis: Hypothesis 2: The nudging effect of maxims is affected by changes in the participant's interests.…”

“…They designed a "Trade-Off Game" (TOG) and found that participants preferred options described as "morally right" regardless of whether the option was equitable or efficient [14]. Subsequent researchers confirmed this conclusion, finding that the nudging effect mainly exists in the situations where stakes are low, and the participants' interests change greatly [15].…”

Does observability amplify sensitivity to moral frames? Evaluating a reputation-based account of moral preferences

“…In this paper, we investigate the influence of reputational incentives on sensitivity to moral frames in the context of the Trade-Off Game (TOG), an economic decision problem that forces decision-makers to decide between competing values of equality and efficiency. We chose to investigate decisions in the TOG because there is a robust body of evidence that, in experiments where reputation is not at stake, moral framing has a substantial influence on TOG decisions (Capraro & Rand, 2018;Tappin & Capraro, 2018;Capraro, Rodriguez-Lara, & Ruiz-Martos, 2020;Huang, Lei, Xu, Yu, & Shi, 2019).…”