Meta-Analysis of Inequality Aversion Estimates

Arbeitspapier

We conduct an interdisciplinary meta-analysis to aggregate the knowledge from empirical estimates of inequality aversion reported from 1999 to 2022. In particular, we examine 85 estimates of disadvantageous inequality aversion (or envy) and advantageous inequality aversion (or guilt) from 26 articles in economics, psychology, neuroscience and computer science that structurally estimate the Fehr and Schmidt (1999) model of social preferences. Our meta-analysis supports the presence of inequality concerns: the mean envy coefficient is 0:426 with a 95% probability that the true value lies in the interval [0:240; 0:620]; the mean guilt coefficient is 0:290 with a 95% probability that the true value lies in the interval [0:212; 0:366]. Moreover, we observe high levels of heterogeneity, both across studies and across individuals, with estimated parameters sensitive to the experimental task and the subject population.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 9851

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Design of Experiments: General ; Bayesian Analysis: General ; Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement ; Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making‡
• Subject: social preferences ; inequality aversion ; inequity aversion ; envy ; guilt ; meta-analysis ; multi-level random-effects model ; Bayesian hierarchical model

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Nunnari, Salvatore ; Pozzi, Massimiliano
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
• (where): Munich
• (when): 2022

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/263781
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET