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Do You Know That I Am Biased? An Experiment

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Author Info

  • Sandra Ludwig
  • Julia Nafziger

    ()

Abstract

This experiment explores whether individuals know that other people are biased. We confirm that overestimation of abilities is a pervasive problem, but observe that most people are not aware of it, i.e. they think others are unbiased. We investigate several explanations for this result. As a first one, we discuss a possible unfamiliarity with the task and the subjects' inability to distinguish between random mistakes and a real bias. Second, we show how the relation between a subject's belief about others and his belief about himself might be driven by a false consensus effect or self-correction mechanism. Third, we identify a self-serving bias when comparing how a subject evaluates his own and other people's biases.

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File URL: http://www.wiwi.uni-bonn.de/bgsepapers/bonedp/bgse11_2007.pdf
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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by University of Bonn, Germany in its series Bonn Econ Discussion Papers with number bgse11_2007.

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Length: 28
Date of creation: Jul 2007
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:bon:bonedp:bgse11_2007

Contact details of provider:
Postal: Bonn Graduate School of Economics, University of Bonn, Adenauerallee 24 - 26, 53113 Bonn, Germany
Fax: +49 228 73 6884
Web page: http://www.bgse.uni-bonn.de/index.php?id=494

Related research

Keywords: Bias; Overconfidence; Beliefs; Experimental Economics; Self-Serving Bias;

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References

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  1. Santos-Pinto, Luís, 2003. "Positive self-image and incentives in organizations," MPRA Paper 3141, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 14 Feb 2007.
  2. Matthew Rabin., 2000. "Risk Aversion and Expected-Utility Theory: A Calibration Theorem," Economics Working Papers E00-279, University of California at Berkeley.
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  8. Laibson, David, 1997. "Golden Eggs and Hyperbolic Discounting," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 112(2), pages 443-77, May.
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  14. Santos-Pinto, Luís, 2003. "Positive self-image in tournaments," MPRA Paper 3140, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 27 Feb 2007.
  15. Pinto, Luis Santos, 2007. "Positive Self-Image in Tournaments," FEUNL Working Paper Series wp510, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Economia.
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Cited by:
  1. Marion Eberlein & Judith Przemeck, 2008. "Whom will you choose? - Collaborator Selection and Selector’s Self-Prediction," Bonn Econ Discussion Papers bgse12_2008, University of Bonn, Germany.

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