Social Value Orientation as a Moral Intuition: Decision-Making in the Dictator Game

41 Pages Posted: 5 Apr 2007 Last revised: 18 Dec 2010

See all articles by Gert Cornelissen

Gert Cornelissen

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Department of Economics and Business

Siegfried Dewitte

KU Leuven - Faculty of Business and Economics (FEB)

Luk Warlop

KU Leuven - Faculty of Business and Economics (FEB); BI Norwegian Business School

Date Written: December 1, 2010

Abstract

We studied the hypothesis that social value orientations are expressed automatically in behavior, as would be suggested by the social intuitionist model. We compared automatic and more deliberated decisions in the dictator game and confirmed that social values determine behavior when responses are based on the intuitive system. By means of both mediation and experimental analyses we further demonstrate that the automatic expression of social value orientations is mediated by perceptions of interpersonal closeness. A reasoning process can subsequently override these automatic responses and disconnect decisions from perceptions of interpersonal closeness. This results in lower levels of other-regarding behavior, at least for prosocials.

Keywords: dictator game, social dilemma, decision-making, two stage model, social value orientation, interpersonal closeness

JEL Classification: C91, D81

Suggested Citation

Cornelissen, Gert and Dewitte, Siegfried and Warlop, Luk, Social Value Orientation as a Moral Intuition: Decision-Making in the Dictator Game (December 1, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=978469 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.978469

Gert Cornelissen (Contact Author)

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Department of Economics and Business ( email )

Ramon Trias Fargas 25-27
Barcelona, 08005
Spain
++34 93542 27 31 (Phone)

Siegfried Dewitte

KU Leuven - Faculty of Business and Economics (FEB) ( email )

Naamsestraat 69
Leuven, B-3000
Belgium

Luk Warlop

KU Leuven - Faculty of Business and Economics (FEB) ( email )

Naamsestraat 69
Leuven, B-3000
Belgium

BI Norwegian Business School ( email )

Nydalsveien 37
Oslo, 0442
Norway