The Egoism and Altruism of Intergenerational Behavior

Abstract

Some of the most important issues in society today affect more than one generation of people. In this article, the authors offer a conceptual overview and integration of the research on intergenerational dilemmas-decisions that entail a tradeoff between one's own self-interest in the present and the interests of other people in the future. Intergenerational decisions are characterized by a combination of intertemporal (i.e., behaviors that affect the future) and interpersonal (i.e., behaviors that affect other people) components. Research on intergenerational dilemmas identifies factors that emerge from these dimensions and how they interact with each other to influence intergenerational beneficence. Critically, phenomena that result from the intersection of these two dimensions-such as immortality striving through legacy creation-are especially important in distinguishing intergenerational decisions from other related decision contexts.

When Are Transport Pricing Policies Fair and Acceptable?

“…In line with this, it has been argued that equality, equity, and environmental justice are important to people due to a collective concern (Lerner, 2003;Schwartz, 1977;Tyler, 2000;Wade-Benzoni & Tost, 2009). In addition, individuals may expect to personally benefit as well when policy outcomes are distributed on the basis of equality, equity, or environmental justice, for example because people feel good about themselves when taking care of others (e.g.…”

“…In addition, individuals may expect to personally benefit as well when policy outcomes are distributed on the basis of equality, equity, or environmental justice, for example because people feel good about themselves when taking care of others (e.g. Diekmann et al, 1997;Messick & McClintock, 1968;Wade-Benzoni & Tost, 2009). If people indeed care about collective outcomes, it can be expected that transport pricing policies are considered to be more fair and acceptable when policy outcomes are distributed on the basis of equality, equity, or environmental justice (i.e.…”

Noblesse oblige emerges (with time): Power enhances intergenerational beneficence

“…These types of decisions can involve a conflict between the interests of present decision-makers and the interests of future others when the decision calls for sacrifice on the part of actors in the present (Wade-Benzoni, 2002;Wade-Benzoni & Tost, 2009). For example, present generations may have to forego the consumption of desirable benefits, such as natural resources, in order to ensure the sustainability of resources for future generations.…”

“…That is, outcomes of the decision accrue not just to the self in the present but also to another person (interpersonal distance) in the future (temporal distance). Given that previous research has demonstrated that decision makers tend to discount across both of these dimensions, one would expect that the barriers to promoting intergenerational beneficence (i.e., generosity to future others) are considerable (see Wade-Benzoni & Tost, 2009, for an in-depth discussion of the barriers to intergenerational beneficence). However, previous research has uncovered a number of surprising variables that enhance intergenerational beneficence, such as outcome uncertainty (Wade-Benzoni, Hernandez, Medvec, & Messick, 2008) and mortality salience (Wade-Benzoni, Tost, Hernandez, & Larrick, 2012).…”

On Firms and the Next Generations: Difficulties and Possibilities for Business Ethics Inquiry

“…With a few rare exceptions (e.g., Jeurissen and Keijzers 2004;Zsolnai 2006;Arenas and Rodrigo 2013), the business ethics literature has not analyzed obligations to future generations. Some scholars, coming from the field of psychology, have studied what factors elicit stewardship attitudes in managers and what psychological barriers frustrate fair decisions toward future generations (Wade-Benzoni et al 2007;Wade-Benzoni and Tost 2009;Hernandez 2012). A few articles deal with business responsibilities for child labor, child obesity, and child consumerism (Crane and Kazmi 2010;French 2010;Kolk and Van Tulder 2002).…”