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When are groups less moral than individuals?

Campos-Mercade, Pol LU (2022) In Games and Economic Behavior 134. p.20-36
Abstract

Individuals are less likely to make morally desirable decisions when they are in groups. I study when this phenomenon makes groups less likely to produce a morally desirable outcome than one individual alone. I formulate and test a model in which a moral outcome occurs if at least one individual makes a costly decision. Using a lab experiment and data from field experiments on the bystander effect, I show that if most individuals are moral, the moral outcome is more likely to be produced by one individual, whereas if most individuals are immoral, it is more likely to be produced by a group. This rule is not only useful for reconciling previous mixed evidence on moral decision-making in groups, but may also be applied to better design... (More)

Individuals are less likely to make morally desirable decisions when they are in groups. I study when this phenomenon makes groups less likely to produce a morally desirable outcome than one individual alone. I formulate and test a model in which a moral outcome occurs if at least one individual makes a costly decision. Using a lab experiment and data from field experiments on the bystander effect, I show that if most individuals are moral, the moral outcome is more likely to be produced by one individual, whereas if most individuals are immoral, it is more likely to be produced by a group. This rule is not only useful for reconciling previous mixed evidence on moral decision-making in groups, but may also be applied to better design organizations and institutions.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Bystander effect, Group size, Moral behavior, Social preferences
in
Games and Economic Behavior
volume
134
pages
20 - 36
publisher
0899-8256
external identifiers
  • scopus:85128244367
ISSN
0899-8256
DOI
10.1016/j.geb.2022.03.009
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dc4db086-d085-484c-aeb4-38aff58c2a0f
date added to LUP
2022-06-17 15:33:06
date last changed
2022-06-17 15:33:06
@article{dc4db086-d085-484c-aeb4-38aff58c2a0f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Individuals are less likely to make morally desirable decisions when they are in groups. I study when this phenomenon makes groups less likely to produce a morally desirable outcome than one individual alone. I formulate and test a model in which a moral outcome occurs if at least one individual makes a costly decision. Using a lab experiment and data from field experiments on the bystander effect, I show that if most individuals are moral, the moral outcome is more likely to be produced by one individual, whereas if most individuals are immoral, it is more likely to be produced by a group. This rule is not only useful for reconciling previous mixed evidence on moral decision-making in groups, but may also be applied to better design organizations and institutions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Campos-Mercade, Pol}},
  issn         = {{0899-8256}},
  keywords     = {{Bystander effect; Group size; Moral behavior; Social preferences}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{20--36}},
  publisher    = {{0899-8256}},
  series       = {{Games and Economic Behavior}},
  title        = {{When are groups less moral than individuals?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geb.2022.03.009}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.geb.2022.03.009}},
  volume       = {{134}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}