In economic theory, utility depends on past, present and future outcomes. The experiment described in this paper … suggests that utility also depends on people's attitudes, and that it can easily be manipulated through these attitudes. The … results imply, first, that purely outcome-based models of individual utility may be incomplete. Second, that reference …

Experimental and empirical evidence shows that the utility an individual derives from a certain state depends on the … outcomes of either the individual herself or her reference group. The experiment described in this paper suggests that, in … reference states - and hence utility - can relatively easily be influenced without changing people’s outcomes, e.g., through …

Experimental and empirical evidence shows that the utility an individual derives from a certain state depends on the … outcomes of either the individual herself or her reference group. The experiment described in this paper suggests that, in … reference states - and hence utility - can relatively easily be influenced without changing people's outcomes, e.g., through …

Experimental and empirical evidence shows that the utility an individual derives from a certain state depends on the … outcomes of either the individual herself or her reference group. The experiment described in this paper suggests that, in … reference states - and hence utility - can relatively easily be influenced without changing people’s outcomes, e.g., through …

entire estate goes to the eldest son. Combining a survey with a lab in the field experiment, we show that this is still the …