We investigated to which extent aggression between opponents after competition is triggered by pr... more We investigated to which extent aggression between opponents after competition is triggered by preemptive retaliation or spite. To disentangle motives, we introduced a credible self-binding signal. In constrast to previous studies, we found that aggression against a defenceless subject plays an important role. Preemptive retaliation proofed to be another dominant motive. The role of self-binding signals to mitigate preemptive retaliation is ambivalent. They do lead to an overall de-escalation in our setting. Still, a considerable number of subjects left the self-binding device on the table, which constitutes a danger: If two unbound subjects meet, the knowingly unused signal leads to an escalation of conflict compared to a situation in which no self-binding device exists.
We elicit punishment after competition. Our experiment creates a setting in which winners and los... more We elicit punishment after competition. Our experiment creates a setting in which winners and losers are assigned in a pairwise speed-based calculation task. As in Abbink and Sadrieh’s (2009) joy-of-destruction game punishment is executed by burning parts of another participant’s endowment. We manipulate the target of punishment to investigate whether it is driven by discrimination of the direct opponent, the outgroup or by joy of destruction. Furthermore, we analyze the role that the clarity of victory or defeat plays for punishment after competition. Our findings suggest that losers face punishment from particularly dominant winners and—to a lesser degree—from particularly frustrated losers. Winners face undifferentiated punishment from all sides. Our results have implications for the prevention of destructive behavior within organizations which use competitions in order to induce effort.
In two experimental studies I investigate detrimental effects of competition. Results show that l... more In two experimental studies I investigate detrimental effects of competition. Results show that losers are more likely to be spared by their peers than winners. An introduced self-binding device is used by two thirds of subjects with true intentions. A better understanding of competition's detrimental effects helps us to mitigate negative effects while still profiting from competition’s advantages. The results are embedded in theoretical reflection on the use of economic experiments in ethics.
Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 2019
PurposeThe theoretical understanding of CSR is caught on the horns of the dilemma between the eth... more PurposeThe theoretical understanding of CSR is caught on the horns of the dilemma between the ethical and instrumental approaches. The strategic turn in CSR has brought the dilemma to a new head. The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel argumentative strategy to address the dilemma.Design/methodology/approachThe paper weaves together the insights from the literatures on sociological institutionalism, organization theory, business ethics and institutional economics to elaborate the distinction between CSR communication and CSR action that is actually undertaken and visible to stakeholders. This distinction is at the core of the “hypocrisy avoidance” approach which puts the above dilemma in a new light.FindingsAccording to the “hypocrisy avoidance” approach, the CSR communication constitutes a competitive arena where corporations are looking for reputational gains. Competitive pressures give rise to an inflationary dynamics of the CSR communication which consequently runs up ag...
Hypocrisy is the act of claiming moral standards to which one’s own behavior does not conform. In... more Hypocrisy is the act of claiming moral standards to which one’s own behavior does not conform. Instances of hypocrisy, such as the supposedly green furnishing group IKEA’s selling of furniture made from illegally felled wood, are frequently reported in the media. In a controlled and incentivized experiment, we investigate how observers rate different types of hypocritical behavior and if this judgment also translates into punishment. Results show that observers do, indeed, condemn hypocritical behavior strongly. The aversion to deceptive behavior is, in fact, so strong that even purely self-deceptive behavior is regarded as blameworthy. Observers who score high in the moral identity test have particularly strong reactions to acts of hypocrisy. The moral condemnation of hypocritical behavior, however, fails to produce a proportional amount of punishment. Punishment seems to be driven more by the violation of the norm of fair distribution than by moral pretense. From the viewpoint of ...
Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2020
Many public debates about the societal significance and impact of agriculture are usefully framed... more Many public debates about the societal significance and impact of agriculture are usefully framed by Paul Thompson’s distinction between the “agrarian” and the “industrial vision.” The key argument of the present paper is that the ongoing debate between these visions goes beyond academic philosophy and has direct effects on the political economy of agriculture by influencing the scope of rent-seeking activities that are undertaken primarily in the name of the agrarian vision. The existence of rent-seeking activities is shown to reflect the fact that the agrarian vision is not universally supported, which is certainly true of the industrial vision as well. The key argument of the present paper is that these two philosophical visions of agriculture are not radically incongruent. Rather, they share a common ground within which they are even mutually supportive. If agricultural policy making is oriented toward this common ground, it may reduce overall dissatisfaction with the resulting ...
Voluntary agreements in which competitors commit to common goals are important tools for corporat... more Voluntary agreements in which competitors commit to common goals are important tools for corporate social responsibility. After entering into a commitment, however, competitors often have incentives to behave opportunistically. This is possible because voluntary agreements are not enforced by external sanctions. We present the results of an exploratory laboratory experiment that investigates the behavior of competitors engaging in commitments and consequently the effectiveness of such measures. We find that introducing a publicly visible commitment device that is implemented with a low probability mitigated conflict between competitors substantially. Our results show that subjects’ inclination to defect one another after competition was mainly driven by the opponents’ refusal to enter into a commitment. In our experiment, a commitment was not used to trick the competitor into a false sense of security but rather to convey the truth about subjects’ moral behavior. We conclude that the efforts of (non-)governmental institutions to reinforce trust between competitors may be of substantial value.
In two experimental studies I investigate detrimental effects of post-competition punishment. Res... more In two experimental studies I investigate detrimental effects of post-competition punishment. Results show that the punishment levels of winners and losers are equally high. An analysis of different target groups shows that losers are more likely to be spared by their peers, whereas winners face punishment from all sides. This provides evidence contrary to the long-standing frustration aggression hypothesis. In a second study, a voluntary commitment device with a low implementation probability is introduced. Results show that more than two thirds of subjects use the device and that their commitments convey true intentions. However, subjects’ behavior depends on the signal they receive from their counterparts. They do not stick to their commitment if the other did not bind himor herself. A better understanding of competition’s detrimental effects helps us to mitigate these negative effects while still profiting from competition as a means of performance enhancement. Thus, our finding...
We explore aversion to the use of algorithms in moral decision-making. So far, this aversion has ... more We explore aversion to the use of algorithms in moral decision-making. So far, this aversion has been explained mainly by the fear of opaque decisions that are potentially biased. Using incentivized experiments, we study which role the desire for human discretion in moral decision-making plays. This seems justified in light of evidence suggesting that people might not doubt the quality of algorithmic decisions, but still reject them. In our first study, we found that people prefer humans with decision-making discretion to algorithms that rigidly apply exogenously given human-created fairness principles to specific cases. In the second study, we found that people do not prefer humans to algorithms because they appreciate flesh-and-blood decision-makers per se, but because they appreciate humans’ freedom to transcend fairness principles at will. Our results contribute to a deeper understanding of algorithm aversion. They indicate that emphasizing the transparency of algorithms that cl...
We explore aversion to the use of algorithms in moral decision-making. So far, this aversion has ... more We explore aversion to the use of algorithms in moral decision-making. So far, this aversion has been explained mainly by the fear of opaque decisions that are potentially biased. Using incentivized experiments, we study which role the desire for human discretion in moral decision-making plays. This seems justified in light of evidence suggesting that people might not doubt the quality of algorithmic decisions, but still reject them. In our first study, we found that people prefer humans with decision-making discretion to algorithms that rigidly apply exogenously given human-created fairness principles to specific cases. In the second study, we found that people do not prefer humans to algorithms because they appreciate flesh-and-blood decision-makers per se, but because they appreciate humans’ freedom to transcend fairness principles at will. Our results contribute to a deeper understanding of algorithm aversion. They indicate that emphasizing the transparency of algorithms that clearly follow fairness principles might not be the only element for fostering societal algorithm acceptance and suggest reconsidering certain features of the decision-making process.
Hypocrisy is the act of claiming moral standards to which one’s own behavior does not conform. In... more Hypocrisy is the act of claiming moral standards to which one’s own behavior does not conform. Instances of hypocrisy, such as the supposedly green furnishing group IKEA’s selling of furniture made from illegally felled wood, are frequently reported in the media. In a controlled and incentivized experiment, we investigate how observers rate different types of hypocritical behavior and if this judgment also translates into punishment. Results show that observers do, indeed, condemn hypocritical behavior strongly. The aversion to deceptive behavior is, in fact, so strong that even purely self-deceptive behavior is regarded as blameworthy. Observers who score high in the moral identity test have particularly strong reactions to acts of hypocrisy. The moral condemnation of hypocritical behavior, however, fails to produce a proportional amount of punishment. Punishment seems to be driven more by the violation of the norm of fair distribution than by moral pretense. From the viewpoint of positive retributivism, it is problematic if neither formal nor informal punishment follows moral condemnation.
We investigated to which extent aggression between opponents after competition is triggered by pr... more We investigated to which extent aggression between opponents after competition is triggered by preemptive retaliation or spite. To disentangle motives, we introduced a credible self-binding signal. In constrast to previous studies, we found that aggression against a defenceless subject plays an important role. Preemptive retaliation proofed to be another dominant motive. The role of self-binding signals to mitigate preemptive retaliation is ambivalent. They do lead to an overall de-escalation in our setting. Still, a considerable number of subjects left the self-binding device on the table, which constitutes a danger: If two unbound subjects meet, the knowingly unused signal leads to an escalation of conflict compared to a situation in which no self-binding device exists.
We elicit punishment after competition. Our experiment creates a setting in which winners and los... more We elicit punishment after competition. Our experiment creates a setting in which winners and losers are assigned in a pairwise speed-based calculation task. As in Abbink and Sadrieh’s (2009) joy-of-destruction game punishment is executed by burning parts of another participant’s endowment. We manipulate the target of punishment to investigate whether it is driven by discrimination of the direct opponent, the outgroup or by joy of destruction. Furthermore, we analyze the role that the clarity of victory or defeat plays for punishment after competition. Our findings suggest that losers face punishment from particularly dominant winners and—to a lesser degree—from particularly frustrated losers. Winners face undifferentiated punishment from all sides. Our results have implications for the prevention of destructive behavior within organizations which use competitions in order to induce effort.
In two experimental studies I investigate detrimental effects of competition. Results show that l... more In two experimental studies I investigate detrimental effects of competition. Results show that losers are more likely to be spared by their peers than winners. An introduced self-binding device is used by two thirds of subjects with true intentions. A better understanding of competition's detrimental effects helps us to mitigate negative effects while still profiting from competition’s advantages. The results are embedded in theoretical reflection on the use of economic experiments in ethics.
Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 2019
PurposeThe theoretical understanding of CSR is caught on the horns of the dilemma between the eth... more PurposeThe theoretical understanding of CSR is caught on the horns of the dilemma between the ethical and instrumental approaches. The strategic turn in CSR has brought the dilemma to a new head. The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel argumentative strategy to address the dilemma.Design/methodology/approachThe paper weaves together the insights from the literatures on sociological institutionalism, organization theory, business ethics and institutional economics to elaborate the distinction between CSR communication and CSR action that is actually undertaken and visible to stakeholders. This distinction is at the core of the “hypocrisy avoidance” approach which puts the above dilemma in a new light.FindingsAccording to the “hypocrisy avoidance” approach, the CSR communication constitutes a competitive arena where corporations are looking for reputational gains. Competitive pressures give rise to an inflationary dynamics of the CSR communication which consequently runs up ag...
Hypocrisy is the act of claiming moral standards to which one’s own behavior does not conform. In... more Hypocrisy is the act of claiming moral standards to which one’s own behavior does not conform. Instances of hypocrisy, such as the supposedly green furnishing group IKEA’s selling of furniture made from illegally felled wood, are frequently reported in the media. In a controlled and incentivized experiment, we investigate how observers rate different types of hypocritical behavior and if this judgment also translates into punishment. Results show that observers do, indeed, condemn hypocritical behavior strongly. The aversion to deceptive behavior is, in fact, so strong that even purely self-deceptive behavior is regarded as blameworthy. Observers who score high in the moral identity test have particularly strong reactions to acts of hypocrisy. The moral condemnation of hypocritical behavior, however, fails to produce a proportional amount of punishment. Punishment seems to be driven more by the violation of the norm of fair distribution than by moral pretense. From the viewpoint of ...
Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2020
Many public debates about the societal significance and impact of agriculture are usefully framed... more Many public debates about the societal significance and impact of agriculture are usefully framed by Paul Thompson’s distinction between the “agrarian” and the “industrial vision.” The key argument of the present paper is that the ongoing debate between these visions goes beyond academic philosophy and has direct effects on the political economy of agriculture by influencing the scope of rent-seeking activities that are undertaken primarily in the name of the agrarian vision. The existence of rent-seeking activities is shown to reflect the fact that the agrarian vision is not universally supported, which is certainly true of the industrial vision as well. The key argument of the present paper is that these two philosophical visions of agriculture are not radically incongruent. Rather, they share a common ground within which they are even mutually supportive. If agricultural policy making is oriented toward this common ground, it may reduce overall dissatisfaction with the resulting ...
Voluntary agreements in which competitors commit to common goals are important tools for corporat... more Voluntary agreements in which competitors commit to common goals are important tools for corporate social responsibility. After entering into a commitment, however, competitors often have incentives to behave opportunistically. This is possible because voluntary agreements are not enforced by external sanctions. We present the results of an exploratory laboratory experiment that investigates the behavior of competitors engaging in commitments and consequently the effectiveness of such measures. We find that introducing a publicly visible commitment device that is implemented with a low probability mitigated conflict between competitors substantially. Our results show that subjects’ inclination to defect one another after competition was mainly driven by the opponents’ refusal to enter into a commitment. In our experiment, a commitment was not used to trick the competitor into a false sense of security but rather to convey the truth about subjects’ moral behavior. We conclude that the efforts of (non-)governmental institutions to reinforce trust between competitors may be of substantial value.
In two experimental studies I investigate detrimental effects of post-competition punishment. Res... more In two experimental studies I investigate detrimental effects of post-competition punishment. Results show that the punishment levels of winners and losers are equally high. An analysis of different target groups shows that losers are more likely to be spared by their peers, whereas winners face punishment from all sides. This provides evidence contrary to the long-standing frustration aggression hypothesis. In a second study, a voluntary commitment device with a low implementation probability is introduced. Results show that more than two thirds of subjects use the device and that their commitments convey true intentions. However, subjects’ behavior depends on the signal they receive from their counterparts. They do not stick to their commitment if the other did not bind himor herself. A better understanding of competition’s detrimental effects helps us to mitigate these negative effects while still profiting from competition as a means of performance enhancement. Thus, our finding...
We explore aversion to the use of algorithms in moral decision-making. So far, this aversion has ... more We explore aversion to the use of algorithms in moral decision-making. So far, this aversion has been explained mainly by the fear of opaque decisions that are potentially biased. Using incentivized experiments, we study which role the desire for human discretion in moral decision-making plays. This seems justified in light of evidence suggesting that people might not doubt the quality of algorithmic decisions, but still reject them. In our first study, we found that people prefer humans with decision-making discretion to algorithms that rigidly apply exogenously given human-created fairness principles to specific cases. In the second study, we found that people do not prefer humans to algorithms because they appreciate flesh-and-blood decision-makers per se, but because they appreciate humans’ freedom to transcend fairness principles at will. Our results contribute to a deeper understanding of algorithm aversion. They indicate that emphasizing the transparency of algorithms that cl...
We explore aversion to the use of algorithms in moral decision-making. So far, this aversion has ... more We explore aversion to the use of algorithms in moral decision-making. So far, this aversion has been explained mainly by the fear of opaque decisions that are potentially biased. Using incentivized experiments, we study which role the desire for human discretion in moral decision-making plays. This seems justified in light of evidence suggesting that people might not doubt the quality of algorithmic decisions, but still reject them. In our first study, we found that people prefer humans with decision-making discretion to algorithms that rigidly apply exogenously given human-created fairness principles to specific cases. In the second study, we found that people do not prefer humans to algorithms because they appreciate flesh-and-blood decision-makers per se, but because they appreciate humans’ freedom to transcend fairness principles at will. Our results contribute to a deeper understanding of algorithm aversion. They indicate that emphasizing the transparency of algorithms that clearly follow fairness principles might not be the only element for fostering societal algorithm acceptance and suggest reconsidering certain features of the decision-making process.
Hypocrisy is the act of claiming moral standards to which one’s own behavior does not conform. In... more Hypocrisy is the act of claiming moral standards to which one’s own behavior does not conform. Instances of hypocrisy, such as the supposedly green furnishing group IKEA’s selling of furniture made from illegally felled wood, are frequently reported in the media. In a controlled and incentivized experiment, we investigate how observers rate different types of hypocritical behavior and if this judgment also translates into punishment. Results show that observers do, indeed, condemn hypocritical behavior strongly. The aversion to deceptive behavior is, in fact, so strong that even purely self-deceptive behavior is regarded as blameworthy. Observers who score high in the moral identity test have particularly strong reactions to acts of hypocrisy. The moral condemnation of hypocritical behavior, however, fails to produce a proportional amount of punishment. Punishment seems to be driven more by the violation of the norm of fair distribution than by moral pretense. From the viewpoint of positive retributivism, it is problematic if neither formal nor informal punishment follows moral condemnation.
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