Measuring social value orientation by model-based scoring

Abstract

This study proposes a method of measuring social value orientation using model-based scoring and a task suitable for such scoring. We evaluated this method by means of parameter recovery simulation (Study 1), and we examined its retest reliability (Study 2) and its predictive validity (Study 3). The results indicate that the proposed method has low bias and sufficient predictive validity. While the improvement in predictive validity of altruism was negligible and comparable to previous scoring methods in terms of confidence intervals, the measurement of equality using the proposed model and task combination produced a moderate correlation that was not observed with other methods. Although SVO is a concept used primarily in psychology, the model assumed in this study is mathematically equivalent to a well-known economics model. We, therefore, suggest that this method may lead to cross-disciplinary research.