Entitlement\u27s influence on economic behavior : evidence from dictator and ultimatum games

This paper explores how one\u27s perceived entitlement impacts economic decisions. To investigate, I conduct five renditions of dictator and ultimatum games which vary in how the Proposer comes to power. Results indicate that our conceptions of earning and entitlement are distinct. Even when one has not earned her position, she can still be entitled by virtue of this position. Compared to conceived earning, perceived entitlement is shown to provide a superior prediction of economic behavior. Additionally, surprising evidence concerning how earning is characterized suggests power produced via physical exertion is more earned than power produced through mental exertion. This unexpected finding prompts my firm belief that further research is needed to investigate how populations (homogenous vs. heterogeneous) impact our notions of earning and entitlement