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The Neuroeconomics of Mind Reading and Empathy

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Author Info

  • Singer, Tania

    () (University College London)

  • Fehr, Ernst

    () (University of Zurich)

Abstract

The most fundamental solution concepts in Game Theory – Nash equilibrium, backward induction, and iterated elimination of dominated strategies – are based on the assumption that people are capable of predicting others' actions. These concepts require people to be able to view the game from the other players' perspectives, i.e. to understand others' motives and beliefs. Economists still know little about what enables people to put themselves into others' shoes and how this ability interacts with their own preferences and beliefs. Social neuroscience provides insights into the neural mechanism underlying our capacity to represent others' intentions, beliefs, and desires, referred to as "Theory of Mind" or "mentalizing", and the capacity to share the feelings of others, referred to as "empathy". We summarize the major findings about the neural basis of mentalizing and empathizing and discuss some implications for economics.

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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 1647.

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Length: 16 pages
Date of creation: Jul 2005
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1647

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Keywords: mind reading; neuroeconomics; empathy;

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References

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  1. Ernst Fehr & Simon Gaechter, . "Fairness and Retaliation: The Economics of Reciprocitys," IEW - Working Papers 040, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
  2. Aleksander Berentsen & Gabriele Camera & C hristopher W aller, 2005. "The Distribution Of Money Balances And The Nonneutrality Of Money," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 46(2), pages 465-487, 05.
  3. Lalive, Rafael & van Ours, Jan C. & Zweimüller, Josef, 2004. "How Changes in Financial Incentives Affect the Duration of Unemployment," IZA Discussion Papers 1363, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
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  7. Aleksander Berentsen & Gabriele Camera, 2004. "Money, Credit, and Banking," 2004 Meeting Papers 473, Society for Economic Dynamics.
  8. Ernst Fehr & Susanne Kremhelmer & Klaus Schmidt, 2005. "Fairness and the Optimal Allocation of Ownership Rights," CESifo Working Paper Series 1467, CESifo Group Munich.
  9. De Giorgi, Enrico & Post, Thierry, 2008. "Second-Order Stochastic Dominance, Reward-Risk Portfolio Selection, and the CAPM," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(02), pages 525-546, June.
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  11. Gruetter, Max & Lalive, Rafael, 2004. "The Importance of Firms in Wage Determination," IZA Discussion Papers 1367, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
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  16. Peter Woehrmann & Willi Semmler & Martin Lettau, . "Nonparametric Estimation of the Time-varying Sharpe Ratio in Dynamic Asset Pricing Models," IEW - Working Papers 225, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
  17. Bruno S. Frey & Alois Stutzer, . "The Role of Direct Democracy and Federalism in Local Power," IEW - Working Papers 209, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
  18. Falk, Armin & Fehr, Ernst & Zehnder, Christian, 2005. "The Behavioural Effects of Minimum Wages," CEPR Discussion Papers 5115, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  19. Pavlo R. Blavatskyy, . "A Stochastic Expected Utility Theory," IEW - Working Papers 231, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
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  23. Alois Stutzer & Lukas Kienast, 2004. "Demokratische Beteiligung und Staatsausgaben: Die Auswirkungen des Frauenstimmrechts," CREMA Working Paper Series 2004-26, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
  24. Bruno S. Frey & Alois Stutzer, . "Economic Consequences of Mispredicting Utility," IEW - Working Papers 218, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
  25. Bhatt, Meghana & Camerer, Colin F., 2005. "Self-referential thinking and equilibrium as states of mind in games: fMRI evidence," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 424-459, August.
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  27. Martin Brown & Christian Zehnder, 2005. "Credit Registries, Relationship Banking and Loan Repayment," IEW - Working Papers 240, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
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Citations

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Cited by:
  1. Biel, Anders & Johansson-Stenman, Olof & Nilsson, Andreas, 2006. "Emotions, Morality and Public Goods: The WTA-WTP Disparity Revisited," Working Papers in Economics 193, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
  2. Donna Harris & Benedikt Herrmann & Andreas Kontoleon, 2009. "`Two's Company, Three's a Group' The impact of group identity and group size on in-group favouritism," Discussion Papers 2009-13, The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham.
  3. Falk, Armin & Fehr, Ernst & Zehnder, Christian, 2005. "The Behavioural Effects of Minimum Wages," CEPR Discussion Papers 5115, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  4. Bhatt, Meghana & Camerer, Colin F., 2005. "Self-referential thinking and equilibrium as states of mind in games: fMRI evidence," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 424-459, August.
  5. Fehr, Ernst & Fischbacher, Urs & Kosfeld, Michael, 2005. "Neuroeconomic Foundation of Trust and Social Preferences," CEPR Discussion Papers 5127, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  6. Kristina Leipold & Nora C. Vetter & Marcus Dittrich & Marco Lehmann-Waffenschmidt & Matthias Kliegel, 2012. "Individual and Developmental Differences in the Relationship of Preferences and Theory of Mind," CESifo Working Paper Series 4053, CESifo Group Munich.
  7. Ilaria Castelli & Davide Massaro & Alan Sanfey & Antonella Marchetti, 2010. "Fairness and intentionality in children’s decision-making," International Review of Economics, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 269-288, September.
  8. John M. Gowdy, 2010. "Behavioral economics, neuroeconomics, and climate change policy: baseline review for the garrison institute initiative on climate change," Rensselaer Working Papers in Economics 1010, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Department of Economics.
  9. Tania Singer & Ernst Fehr, 2005. "The Neuroeconomics of Mind Reading and Empathy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(2), pages 340-345, May.
  10. Hain, Cornelia & Lehmann-Waffenschmidt, Marco & Kenning, Peter, 2007. "Neuroökonomie und Neuromarketing: Neurale Korrelate strategischer Entscheidungen," Dresden Discussion Paper Series in Economics 04/07, Dresden University of Technology, Faculty of Business and Economics, Department of Economics.
  11. Friedrich Heinemann & Michael Förg & Eva Jonas & Eva Traut-Mattausch, 2008. "Psychologische Restriktionen wirtschaftspolitischer Reformen," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 9(4), pages 383-404, November.
  12. Hennighausen, Tanja & Heinemann, Friedrich & Bischoff, Ivo, 2008. "Individual Determinants of Social Fairness Assessments: The Case of Germany," ZEW Discussion Papers 08-063, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research.
  13. Gilles Le Garrec, 2007. "Moral sentiments, democracy and redistributive politics: between nature and culture," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2007-09, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
  14. Biel, Anders & Johansson-Stenman, Olof & Nilsson, Andreas, 2011. "The Willingness to Pay-Willingness to Accept Gap Revisited: The Role of Emotions and Moral Satisfaction," Working Papers in Economics 497, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
  15. Gilles Le Garrec, 2007. "Pourquoi l'Europe redistribue-t-elle plus que les Etats-Unis? Au delà du médian égoiste," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2007-03, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
  16. Luca Stanca, 2011. "Social science and neuroscience: how can they inform each other?," International Review of Economics, Springer, vol. 58(3), pages 243-256, September.

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