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  • 2022
  • Working Paper
  • HBS Working Paper Series

Motivated Errors

By: Christine L Exley and Judd B. Kessler
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:82
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Abstract

In three sets of experiments involving 5,432 subjects, we show that agents make more errors when doing so allows them to justify selfish behavior. We show that errors relating to addition arise when they can help to justify selfishness but are eliminated when selfish motives are removed. In addition, we show that selfish motives can either exacerbate or mitigate errors relating to correlation neglect and anchoring. Our results are consistent with individuals acting confused as a justification for selfish behavior.

Keywords

Information; Behavior; Motivation and Incentives; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving

Citation

Exley, Christine L., and Judd B. Kessler. "Motivated Errors." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 18-017, August 2019. (Revised March 2022.)
  • SSRN
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About The Author

Christine L. Exley

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • February 2023
    • Journal of Political Economy Microeconomics

    Nonprofits in Good Times and Bad Times

    By: Christine L. Exley, Nils H. Lehr and Stephen J. Terry
    • 2022
    • Faculty Research

    When Do Individuals Give Up Agency? The Role of Decision Avoidance

    By: Holly Dykstra, Christine L. Exley and Muriel Niederle
    • 2022
    • Faculty Research

    The Gender Minority Gaps in Confidence and Self-Evaluations

    By: Billur Aksoy, Christine L. Exley and Judd B. Kessler
More from the Authors
  • Nonprofits in Good Times and Bad Times By: Christine L. Exley, Nils H. Lehr and Stephen J. Terry
  • When Do Individuals Give Up Agency? The Role of Decision Avoidance By: Holly Dykstra, Christine L. Exley and Muriel Niederle
  • The Gender Minority Gaps in Confidence and Self-Evaluations By: Billur Aksoy, Christine L. Exley and Judd B. Kessler
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