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Are happier people less judgmental of other people's selfish behaviors? Laboratory evidence from trust and gift exchange games

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  • Drouvelis, Michalis
  • Powdthavee, Nattavudh
Abstract
What determines people’s moral judgments of selfish behaviors? Here we study whether people’s normative views in trust and gift exchange games, which underlie many situations of economic and social significance, are themselves functions of positive emotions. We used experimental survey methods to investigate people’s moral judgments empirically, and explored whether we could influence subsequent judgments by deliberately making some individuals happier. We found that moral judgments of selfish behaviors in the economic context depend strongly on other people’s behaviors, but their relationships are significantly moderated by an increase in happiness for the person making the judgment.

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  • Drouvelis, Michalis & Powdthavee, Nattavudh, 2013. "Are happier people less judgmental of other people's selfish behaviors? Laboratory evidence from trust and gift exchange games," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 51573, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:51573
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • C19 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Other

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