Soman, D., &Cheema, A. (2011). Earmarking and partitioning: Increasing saving by low-income households. Journal of Marketing Research, 48(SPL), S14-S22. 

This research examines the effects of earmarking money on savings by low-income consumers. In particular, the authors test two interventions that are designed to enhance the effects of earmarking: (1) using a visual reminder of the savings goal and (2) dividing the earmarked money into two parts. Consistent with prior research suggesting that partitioning increases self-control, people save more when earmarked money is partitioned into two accounts than when it is pooled into one account. In addition, the presence of the visual reminder increases the savings rate. The authors conclude with implications for consumer welfare and directions for further research.

 

 

Soman, D., &Cheema, A. (2011). Earmarking and partitioning: Increasing saving by low-income households. Journal of Marketing Research, 48(SPL), S14-S22. 

https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.48.SPL.S14  

Konow, J. (2001). Fair and square: the four sides of distributive justice. Journal of Economic Behavior &Organization, 46(2), 137-164.

Recent theoretical progress on inequity has left unresolved the crucial question of what constitutes equity. This paper proposes a positive theory of distributive justice, in a framework of inequity aversion, that depends on three general justice principles and context. The current study challenges the view of many previous inquiries that justice is context-specific and instead advances a theory in which justice is context-dependent: context matters, not because of the lack of general principles of justice, but due to its effect on the interpretation of those principles. Results from telephone interviews and written questionnaires are presented in support of the theory.

 

 

 

Konow, J. (2001). Fair and square: the four sides of distributive justice. Journal of Economic Behavior &Organization, 46(2), 137-164.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-2681(01)00194-9

 

Frey, B. S., &Pommerehne, W. W. (1993). On the fairness of pricing—an empirical survey among the general population. Journal of Economic Behavior &Organization, 20(3), 295-307.

A random survey reveals that a rise in price to cope with a situation of excess demand is considered unfair by 80% of the respondents. Pricing is considered less unfair as a decisionmaking procedure under recurrent situations than as a device to ration demand in a unique, fixed supply situation. Results contrasting with conventional economic theory are that traditional and administrative procedures are much preferred to pricing, and that an enlarged opportunity set leads to an even more negative evaluation of pricing. This may be explained by introducing ethical (‘just price change’) considerations into positive analysis.

 

 

Frey, B. S., &Pommerehne, W. W. (1993). On the fairness of pricing—an empirical survey among the general population. Journal of Economic Behavior &Organization, 20(3), 295-307.

https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-2681(93)90027-M

 

 

Mueller, D. C. (1978). Voting by veto. Journal of Public Economics, 10(1), 57-75.

This paper describes a voting procedure for revealing preferences for public goods. The procedure consists of two steps: a proposal by each committee member to be added along with the status quo to form the issue set, and then, subsequent to a random determination of voting order, the elimination of one proposal from the issue set by each committee member. For any set of proposals and a given order of voting the procedure determines a unique, winning proposal. Under the procedure’s incentives, the winning proposal tends to contain an equal sharing of the potential gains from collective action among the committee members.

 

 

Mueller, D. C. (1978). Voting by veto. Journal of Public Economics, 10(1), 57-75.

https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-2727(78)90005-1

 

 

Sirgy, M. J., Lee, D. J., Kosenko, R., Lee Meadow, H., Rahtz, D., Cicic, M., … &Wright, N. (1998). Does television viewership play a role in the perception of quality of life?

The authors hypothesized that television viewership influences materialism and dissatisfaction with standard of living, which in turn contributes to feelings of dissatisfaction with life. They collected data from five countries to examine the issue in a variety of cultural and media environments. The countries and types of samples were: United States (consumer panel and college students), Canada (urban households), Australia (urban households), Turkey (urban households), and China (urban households). The results were generally consistent with the hypotheses. However, most of the support came from the U.S. samples. Two possible explanations may account for the findings. One is that the effect of television viewership on life satisfaction is a unique phenomenon that is applicable only to the United States. Given the disparity of viewership levels between the U.S. and other countries, that explanation has some face validity. The other is that the effects were less evident in non-U.S. samples because of methodological limitations of the cross-cultural research. Overall, the results show that television viewership, at least in the U.S., may play a significant role in making people unhappy with their lives. Much of television advertising reinforces material consumption and possession with images of the “good life.” Thus, television advertising contributes to terminal materialism—materialism for the sake of materialism. Socially responsible advertising professionals should make a concerted effort to create messages that reflect instrumental materialism—materialism for the sake of meeting essential and basic needs.

 

 

Sirgy, M. J., Lee, D. J., Kosenko, R., Lee Meadow, H., Rahtz, D., Cicic, M., … &Wright, N. (1998). Does television viewership play a role in the perception of quality of life?. Journal of Advertising, 27(1), 125-142.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.1998.10673547

 

 

Bruni, L., &Stanca, L. (2006). Income aspirations, television and happiness: Evidence from the world values survey. Kyklos, 59(2), 209-225.

This paper investigates the role of television in producing higher material aspirations, by enhancing both adaptation and positional effects. Using a large sample of individuals from the World Values Survey, we find that the effect of income on both life and financial satisfaction is significantly smaller for heavy television viewers than for occasional viewers. This finding is robust to a number of specification checks and alternative interpretations. The results suggest an additional explanation for the income‐happiness paradox: the pervasive and increasing role of television viewing in contemporary society, by raising material aspirations, contributes to offset the effect of higher income on individual happiness.

 

 

 

Bruni, L., &Stanca, L. (2006). Income aspirations, television and happiness: Evidence from the world values survey. Kyklos, 59(2), 209-225.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6435.2006.00325.x

 

Sen, A. (1997). Maximization and the Act of Choice. Econometrica: Journal of the Econometric Society, 745-779.

The act of choosing can have particular relevance in maximizing behavior for at least two distinct reasons: (1) process significance (preferences may be sensitive to the choice process, including the identity of the chooser), and (2) decisional inescapability (choices may have to be made whether or not the judgemental process has been completed). The general approach of maximizing behavior can-appropriately formulated-accommodate both concerns, but the regularities of choice behavior assumed in standard models of rational choice will need significant modification. These differences have considerable relevance in studies of economic, social, and political behavior.

 

 

Sen, A. (1997). Maximization and the Act of Choice. Econometrica: Journal of the Econometric Society, 745-779.

DOI: 10.2307/2171939

 

 

Tyler, T. R. (1997). Procedural fairness and compliance with the law. Revue Suisse D Economie Politique et de Statistique, 133, 219-240. 

My goal is to discuss the findings of recent research exploring why people obey the law. I am a psychologist and will focus directly on microlevel issues concerning the psychology of the person. In particular, I will explore research examining naturally occurring attitudes, values, and behaviors. I will do so by considering studies based upon interviews with citizens.

 

 I want to make four basic points. The first is that it is difficult to enforce the law using only the threat of punishment. Authorities need the willing, voluntary compliance of most citizens with most laws, most of the time. Second, such voluntary compliance is linked to judgments about the legitimacy of authorities and the morality of the law. Third, public views about the legitimacy of legal authorities are linked to judgments about the fairness of the procedures through which those authorities make decisions. Finally, an important element in procedural justice judgments involve evaluations of the manner in which authorities treat citizens. Taken together, these findings suggest that an important component of the effective exercise of authority involves non-instrumental issues. By including such non-instrumental concerns in the study of compliance with the law we can more completely understand the dynamics of obedience with social authorities.

 

 

 

Tyler, T. R. (1997). Procedural fairness and compliance with the law. Revue Suisse D Economie Politique et de Statistique, 133, 219-240.