Forum
What is DR@W Forum?
DR@W Forum is an interdisciplinary discussion series which focuses on theoretical and empirical research about decision making.
The usual structure of the forum is a 30 - 45 minute introduction of the topic/working paper, with ample additional time for discussion.
The audience prefers discussing work-in-progress topics as opposed to finished papers. We meet on Thursdays between 2:30 and 3:45pm during term time, with streaming via Zoom. Contact John Taylor (John.Taylor[at]wbs.ac.uk) if you would like to suggest a speaker for a future event. Notifications of upcoming DR@W Forum events along with other decision research related activities can be obtained by registering with the moderated Behaviour Spotlight email listLink opens in a new window.
Note that several talks during the 2024/25 academic year are being hosted and orgnanised by the Economics department. This is indicated in the calendar entries. These talks will all take place in the Social Studies building. If you require further details regarding these sessions, please contact Matthew Ridley (Matthew.Ridley[at]Warwick.ac.uk) in the Economics department.
DR@W Forum - Hande Erkut (WZB Berlin)
Understanding Repugnance: Agency, Consequences, and the Role of Evaluators
Feelings of repugnance constrain market design since certain transactions are considered unacceptable, e.g., selling a kidney or surrogacy. Understanding the causes of repugnance is therefore essential. In two experimental studies, we investigate how agency, the severity of consequences, and the evaluator's role shape repugnance judgments. We find that all actors—spectators and stakeholders —are more likely to prohibit transactions when one party lacks agency. Spectators and those stakeholders who are more vulnerable are more sensitive to the severity of consequences, being more likely to prohibit transactions when consequences are severe rather than mild. In contrast, advantaged stakeholders do not differentiate between mild and severe consequences and are overall more accepting. These findings highlight how repugnance is shaped by both the features of the transaction and the evaluator’s role. Enhancing agency—particularly for vulnerable parties—may reduce repugnance and align attitudes across groups.