Peer-induced fairness in games

Teck Hua Ho*, Xuanming Su

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

173 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

People exhibit peer-induced fairness concerns when they look to their peers as a reference to evaluate their endowments. We analyze two independent ultimatum games played sequentially by a leader and two followers. With peerinduced fairness, the second follower is averse to receiving less than the first follower. Using laboratory experimental data, we estimate that peer-induced fairness between followers is two times stronger than distributional fairness between leader and follower. Allowing for heterogeneity, we find that 50 percent of subjects are fairness-minded. We discuss how peer-induced fairness might limit price discrimination, account for low variability in CEO compensation, and explain pattern bargaining. (JEL C72, D63).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2022-2049
Number of pages28
JournalAmerican Economic Review
Volume99
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2009
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Economics and Econometrics

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