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The apolitical lawyer: experimental evidence of a framing effect

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  • Michal Ovádek

    (KU Leuven)

Abstract

Behavioural law and economics has established a burgeoning research agenda investigating the impact of bias and heuristics on legal decision-making. One of the most important behavioural contributions concerns the impact of framing on choice. The present article expands this line of scholarship by developing a novel hypothesis under which lawyers’ attachment to objectivity and neutrality is assumed to militate against frames challenging the profession’s underlying norms. More specifically, the “apolitical hypothesis” expects the attachment of legally irrelevant political motivation to legal arguments to decrease their attractiveness. The hypothesis is tested in an experimental setting accounting for a varying degree of legal indeterminacy in the domain of European Union law. The experimental results show support for the hypothesis: a political frame made law students 12–24% more likely to select the “apolitical” legal option.

Suggested Citation

  • Michal Ovádek, 2019. "The apolitical lawyer: experimental evidence of a framing effect," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 385-415, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:ejlwec:v:48:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s10657-019-09632-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10657-019-09632-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Druckman, James N, 2001. "Using Credible Advice to Overcome Framing Effects," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(1), pages 62-82, April.
    5. Levin, Irwin P. & Schneider, Sandra L. & Gaeth, Gary J., 1998. "All Frames Are Not Created Equal: A Typology and Critical Analysis of Framing Effects," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 76(2), pages 149-188, November.
    6. Gerd Gigerenzer & Christoph Engel (ed.), 2006. "Heuristics and the Law," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262072750, April.
    7. Dorian Jullien, 2016. "All Frames Created Equal are Not Identical: On the Structure of Kahneman and Tversky's Framing Effects," GREDEG Working Papers 2016-17, Groupe de REcherche en Droit, Economie, Gestion (GREDEG CNRS), Université Côte d'Azur, France.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Legal experiments; Behavioural law and economics; Framing; Ambiguity; European Union law;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K49 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Other
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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