The Allures of Power

Abstract: In this paper, I investigate the pursuit of “power” — the ability to determine the outcomes of others — along three dimensions: when people desire power, what people do with power, and who desires power. Using a lab experiment, I classify people into four mutually exclusive “power types” based on their behavior, and I find that these power types differ in how much they spend on power, which features of power they value, and the way they respond to changes in the price of controlling their partners’ outcome. Crucially, I show that many subjects value power intrinsically.

A Bliss Point Model of Distributional Preferences

Abstract: I propose and empirically evaluate a new “bliss point” model of social preferences, in which one’s utility decreases in the distance between others’ payoffs and a bliss point defined as a linear function of one’s own payoff. Using new experimental data, I estimate individual-level parameters for this model and three alternatives (CES, inequality aversion, maximin), and then compare predictive accuracy. Preliminary results suggest that the bliss point model is the best predictor for 15–32% of subjects, depending on the task.

The Value of Choosing for Others

Abstract: I propose and empirically evaluate a model of utility from “discretion” — the ability to influence others’ outcomes. The model distinguishes between discretion to help versus harm, and assumes diminishing marginal utility. Using new experimental data, I estimate individual-level parameters from four social preference models, then assess how well the discretion model improves predictive accuracy compared to these models. Results forthcoming.