My area of research is behavioral economics, i.e., an approach to economics informed by psychology. Behavioral economists usually explore economic behavior and decision-making processes that are at variance with the predictions of conventional economic models. Within this approach, I specialize in economics and ethics, which examines the roles of justice, altruism, reciprocity, and other ethical concerns in the economic domain. Typically, my studies in this area contain both a theoretical component as well as empirical evidence on the theory drawn from experiments and/or surveys.

    Below are selected papers that can be downloaded in pdf format. These can be viewed using Adobe Acrobat Reader, a version of which you can download for free by clicking here  . My thanks to Elsevier Science, the American Economic Association and KYKLOS for permission to post articles published in their journals here.* Links to their websites also appear below, as well as copies of abstracts and, where applicable, appendices containing data, experimental instructions and/or proofs. These are organized around four areas of interest: Justice, Happiness/Altruism, Philosophy and Economics, and Impartiality/Moral Bias (with some redundancy where topics overlap).


JUSTICE

"Just Luck: An Experimental Study of Risk Taking and Fairness," with Alexander Cappelen, Erik Sørensen and Bertil Tungodden, 2011.
[abstract]  [paper 497KB]


"Fair Air: Distributive Justice and Environmental Economics," with Olof Johansson-Stenman, Environmental and Resource Economics, vol. 46, no. 2 (June), pp. 147-166, 2010.
[lead article]
[abstract]  [paper 132KB]


“Is Fairness in the Eye of the Beholder? An Impartial Spectator Analysis of Justice,” Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 33, no. 1 (June), pp. 101-127, 2009.
[abstract]  [paper 132KB]  [appendix 17KB]


"Morals and Mores? Experimental Evidence on Equity and Equality," with Tatsuyoshi Saijo and Kenju Akai, 2009.
[abstract]  [paper 291KB]  [appendix 49KB]

"Distributive Justice," in the Encyclopedia of American Government and Civics, Michael A. Genovese and Lori C. Han, editors, New York: Facts-on-File, 2008.
[paper 29KB]


“Blind Spots: The Effects of Information and Stakes on Fairness Bias and Dispersion,” Social Justice Research, vol. 18, no. 4 (December), pp. 349-390, 2005.
[lead article]
[abstract]  [request reprint (please provide your mailing address)]


“Which Is the Fairest One of All?: A Positive Analysis of Justice Theories,” Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 41, no. 4 (December), pp. 1186-1237, 2003.*
[>270 Google Scholar cites]
[abstract]  [paper 509KB]  [JEL]


“Fair and Square: The Four Sides of Distributive Justice,” Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, vol. 46, no. 2 (October), pp. 137-164, 2001.*
[lead article, >70 Google Scholar cites]
[abstract]  [paper 169KB]  [JEBO]


“Fair Shares: Accountability and Cognitive Dissonance in Allocation Decisions,” American Economic Review, vol. 90, no. 4 (September), pp. 1072-1091, 2000.*
[>200 Google Scholar cites]
[abstract]  [paper 275KB]  [appendices 1,732KB] [AER]


“A Positive Theory of Economic Fairness,” Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, vol. 31, no. 1 (October), pp. 13-35, 1996.*
[>90 Google Scholar cites]
[abstract]  [paper 348KB]  [JEBO]
 

HAPPINESS/ALTRUISM

“Mixed Feelings: Theories of and Evidence on Giving,” Journal of Public Economics, vol. 94, nos. 3-4 (April), pp. 279-297, 2010.
[abstract]  [paper 419KB]  [appendices B-D 182KB]


“The Hedonistic Paradox: Is Homo Economicus Happier?” with Joseph Earley, Journal of Public Economics, vol. 92, nos. 1-2 (February), pp. 1-33, 2008.*
[lead article, >90 Google Scholar cites]
[abstract]  [paper 642KB]  [appendix 40KB]  [JPubEc]


“Happiness and Economics,” by Bruno Frey and Alois Stutzer, review in KYKLOS, vol. 56, no. 2 (May), pp. 284-287, 2003.*
[paper 15KB]  [KYKLOS]
 

PHILOSOPHY AND ECONOMICS

“Adam Smith and the Modern Science of Ethics,” 2011.
[abstract]  [paper 154KB]


 

IMPARTIALITY AND MORAL BIAS

“Is Fairness in the Eye of the Beholder? An Impartial Spectator Analysis of Justice,” Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 33, no. 1 (June), pp. 101-127, 2009.
[abstract]  [paper 132KB]  [appendix 17KB]


"Social Preferences and Moral Biases," with Rachel Croson, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, vol. 69, no. 3 (March), pp. 201-212, 2009.
[lead article]
[abstract] [paper 278KB]


“Adam Smith and the Modern Science of Ethics,” 2011.
[abstract]  [paper 154KB]


“The Moral High Ground: An Experimental Study of Spectator Impartiality,” 2008.
[abstract]  [paper 217KB]  [appendix 107KB]


“Blind Spots: The Effects of Information and Stakes on Fairness Bias and Dispersion,” Social Justice Research, vol. 18, no. 4 (December), pp. 349-390, 2005.
[lead article]
[abstract]  [request reprint (please provide your mailing address)]
 

“Which Is the Fairest One of All?: A Positive Analysis of Justice Theories,” Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 41, no. 4 (December), pp. 1186-1237, 2003.*
[>270 Google Scholar cites]
[abstract]  [paper 509KB]  [JEL]


“Fair Shares: Accountability and Cognitive Dissonance in Allocation Decisions,” American Economic Review, vol. 90, no. 4 (September), pp. 1072-1091, 2000.*[>200 Google Scholar cites]
[abstract]  [paper 275KB]  [appendices 1,732KB] [AER]


*Single copies of these articles may be downloaded and printed for the reader's personal research and study.