Morals matter in economic games

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Economics
• Social Psychology
• Moral Psychology

Background:

• Traditional economic theories (Expected Utility Theory, Game Theory) fail to predict interpersonal economic decisions.
• Research on other-regarding behavior primarily uses behavioral economics and evolutionary biology, neglecting psychological processes.
• Relational Models Theory (RMT) and Relationship Regulation Theory (RRT) provide a framework for understanding moral motives in decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of moral motives on other-regarding behavior in economic decision-making.
• To test the role of both conscious and unconscious (automatic) moral processes.
• To differentiate the impact of moral motives in interpersonal versus solitary contexts.

Main Methods:

• Development of the 'Dyadic Solidarity Game' and 'Self-Insurance Game' to study interpersonal and solitary decision-making.
• Manipulation of moral motives ('Unity', 'Proportionality') through conscious framing and unconscious priming.
• Analysis of participants' behavior in four experiments to assess the application of the Golden Rule.

Main Results:

• Consciously and unconsciously activated moral motives significantly influence other-regarding behavior.
• This influence is specific to interpersonal situations, not solitary ones.
• Individuals with 'Unity' motive adhere to the Golden Rule, while 'Proportionality' motive individuals give less to others than to themselves.

Conclusions:

• Moral motives play a crucial role in economic decision-making, contrary to traditional economic models.
• Both conscious and unconscious moral processes shape how individuals consider others.
• The study provides novel insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying moral behavior in economic contexts.