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Social preferences and self-control

Author

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  • Achtziger, Anja
  • Alós-Ferrer, Carlos
  • Wagner, Alexander K.

Abstract

We provide new evidence on the impact of diminished self-control on social preferences in the ultimatum game. In a sample of German university students (N=312), depleted proposers made lower offers, and depleted responders rejected unfair offers as often as non-depleted ones. This agrees with previous evidence on the Dictator Game but stands in contrast with a previous study with a sample of Spanish university students. A possible explanation is that selfish motives are the default mode of behavior, but there is individual heterogeneity on whether strategic fairness (fear of rejection) can overcome them.

Suggested Citation

  • Achtziger, Anja & Alós-Ferrer, Carlos & Wagner, Alexander K., 2018. "Social preferences and self-control," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 161-166.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:74:y:2018:i:c:p:161-166
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2018.04.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Kong, Nancy & Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah, 2023. "The stability of self-control in a population-representative study," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    2. repec:pdn:wpaper:70 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Martin G. Kocher & Peter Martinsson & Kristian Ove R. Myrseth & Conny E. Wollbrant, 2017. "Strong, bold, and kind: self-control and cooperation in social dilemmas," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 20(1), pages 44-69, March.
    4. Alós-Ferrer, Carlos & Garagnani, Michele, 2020. "The cognitive foundations of cooperation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 71-85.
    5. Tim Friehe & Hannah Schildberg-Hörisch, 2014. "Crime and Self-Control Revisited: Disentangling the Effect of Self-Control on Risk and Social Preferences," CESifo Working Paper Series 4747, CESifo.
    6. Lohmann, Paul M. & Gsottbauer, Elisabeth & You, Jing & Kontoleon, Andreas, 2023. "Anti-social behaviour and economic decision-making: Panel experimental evidence in the wake of COVID-19," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 136-171.
    7. Friehe, Tim & Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah, 2017. "Self-control and crime revisited: Disentangling the effect of self-control on risk taking and antisocial behavior," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 23-32.
    8. Sylwia Lach, 2020. "Selected Methods of Psychological Manipulation in the Marketing of Financial Services," Journal of International Business Research and Marketing, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 6(1), pages 24-29, November.
    9. Dimant, Eugen & Deutscher, Christian, 2014. "The Economics of Corruption in Sports – The Special Case of Doping," MPRA Paper 60566, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Xiaohua, Yu & Binjian, Yan & Zhifeng, Gao, 2014. "Can Willingness-To-Pay Values be Manipulated? Evidences from an Experiment on Organic Food in China," GlobalFood Discussion Papers 169402, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, GlobalFood, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.
    11. Carlos Alós-Ferrer & Jaume García-Segarra & Alexander Ritschel, 2018. "The Big Robber Game," ECON - Working Papers 291, Department of Economics - University of Zurich.
    12. Alison Harris & Aleena Young & Livia Hughson & Danielle Green & Stacey N Doan & Eric Hughson & Catherine L Reed, 2020. "Perceived relative social status and cognitive load influence acceptance of unfair offers in the Ultimatum Game," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, January.
    13. Acerbi, Alberto & Sacco, Pier Luigi, 2022. "The self-control vs. self-indulgence dilemma: A culturomic analysis of 20th century trends," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    14. Lucks, Konstantin, 2016. "The Impact of Self-Control on Investment Decisions," MPRA Paper 73099, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Peter Martinsson & Kristian Ove R. Myrseth & Conny Wollbrant, 2012. "Reconciling pro-social vs. selfish behavior: On the role of self-control," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 7(3), pages 304-315, May.
    16. Xiaohua Yu & Binjian Yan & Zhifeng Gao, 2014. "Can willingness-to-pay values be manipulated? Evidence from an organic food experiment in China," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 45(S1), pages 119-127, November.
    17. repec:cup:judgdm:v:7:y:2012:i:3:p:304-315 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Alós-Ferrer, Carlos & Ritschel, Alexander & García-Segarra, Jaume & Achtziger, Anja, 2019. "Habituation does not rescue depletion: Two tests of the ego-depletion effect," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 75(PA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ultimatum Game; Self-control; Ego depletion; Social preferences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C78 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Bargaining Theory; Matching Theory
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior

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