Too Smart to Be Selfish? Measures of Intelligence, Social Preferences, and Consistency

Abstract

Although there is an increasing interest in examining the relationship between cognitive ability and economic behavior, less is known about the relationship between cognitive ability and social preferences. We investigate the relationship between strongly incentivized measures of intelligence and measures of social preferences. We have data on a series of small-stakes dictator-type decisions, known as Social Value Orientation (SVO), in addition to choices in a larger-stakes dictator game. We also have access to the grade point averages (GPA) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) outcomes of our subjects. We …nd that subjects who perform better on the math portion of the SAT are more generous in both the dictator game and the SVO measure. By contrast we …nd that subjects with a higher GPA are more sel…sh in the dictator game and more generous according to the SVO. We also …nd that the consistency of the subjects is related to GPA but we do not …nd evidence that it is related to either portion of the SAT.

Cognitive load in the multi-player prisoner's dilemma game: Are there brains in games?

“…9 Devetag and Warglien (2003) found a relationship between the 7 See Benjamin et al (2012), Brañas-Garza et al (2008), Burks et al (2008), Dohmen et al (2010), Frederick (2005 and Oechssler et al (2009). See Ben-Ner et al (2004), Branstätter andGüth (2002), Chen et al (2011a) and Millet and Dewitte (2007) for more on the relationship between social preferences and measures of intelligence.…”