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Responding to (un)reasonable requests by an authority

Author

Listed:
  • Vittorio Pelligra

    (University of Cagliari
    CRENoS)

  • Tommaso Reggiani

    (Cardiff University
    Masaryk University-MUEEL Lab
    IZA)

  • Daniel John Zizzo

    (University of Queensland)

Abstract

We consider the notions of static and dynamic reasonableness of requests by an authority in a trust game experiment. The authority, modeled as the experimenter, systematically varies the experimental norm of what is expected from trustees to return to trustors, both in terms of the level of each request and in terms of the sequence of the requests. Static reasonableness matters in a self-biased way, in the sense that low requests justify returning less, but high requests tend to be ignored. Dynamic reasonableness also matters, in the sense that, if requests keep increasing, trustees return less compared to the same requests presented in random or decreasing order. Requests never systematically increase trustworthiness but may decrease it.

Suggested Citation

  • Vittorio Pelligra & Tommaso Reggiani & Daniel John Zizzo, 2020. "Responding to (un)reasonable requests by an authority," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 89(3), pages 287-311, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:theord:v:89:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s11238-020-09758-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11238-020-09758-0
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trust; Trustworthiness; Authority; Reasonableness; Moral wiggle room; Oral licensing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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