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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods

Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods

Published on: September 19, 2012

Valuing different human lives.

Geoffrey P Goodwin¹, Justin F Landy¹

¹Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania.

Journal of Experimental Psychology. General

|May 8, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

People value lives differently based on age, prioritizing younger individuals and even older children over younger ones. This value is linked to life investments, social connections, and understanding of death, impacting bioethical decisions.

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Area of Science:

Social Psychology
Moral Decision-Making
Bioethics

Background:

Cultural affirmations promote the equal value of all human lives.
Evidence suggests age influences life-and-death decisions, prioritizing the young over the old.

Purpose of the Study:

To reconcile the tension between the ideal of equal life value and age-based prioritization.
To investigate how age impacts perceived value in life-saving and tragedy contexts.
To explore factors influencing the prioritization of children over adults and older children over younger children.

Main Methods:

A series of studies (1-7) examining judgments of human life value.
Distinction between negative rights (not to be harmed) and positive rights (to be aided).
Think-aloud methodology and mediation analyses to identify causal factors.

Main Results:

Individuals are viewed as less equal regarding positive rights (aid) than negative rights (harm).
Age significantly impacts decisions on who to save and whose death is more tragic.
Older children are prioritized over younger children, driven by life investments, social relations, and understanding of death.
Meaningful social relations were identified as a key factor in valuing older children more.

Conclusions:

Perceptions of human life value are not absolute and are systematically influenced by age.
Factors like social connections and life investments contribute to differential valuation of lives.
Findings have significant implications for bioethics and resource allocation in medical policy.