When it comes to picking partners, a fair beggar is better than an unjust prince. A new study demonstrated that fairness is rated as an important trait of a desired social partner, compared to their wealth. Researchers used a modified version of a Dictator Game, where individuals— the “dictators”—are asked to split a sum of money between themselves and another person. Other participants were then informed of the allocation of resources, and asked which “dictators” they would rather choose for a partner. Generosity was consistently rated higher than wealth: people tend to choose the “dictators” who were willing to share their resources, even if that left them with a smaller sum.
Authors:
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Canadian contributor:
Pat Barclay, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
Original paper published in Royal Society Open Science on November 8, 2016.
