Experimental Demand Effects in Private Allocation

Determine whether experimental demand effects influenced participants’ allocation behavior in the private die-roll rule-breaking task and directed behavior toward particular groups.

Background

The study is designed to reduce demand characteristics by making decisions private and unobservable. Nevertheless, the authors acknowledge that they cannot determine whether participants inferred expectations from the experimental setting and consequently altered their allocations. This remains an unresolved methodological issue for interpreting the observed group effects.

References

We also do not know whether experimental demand effects might have directed behaviour in a particular direction.

— Going Beyond the In-/Out-Group Dichotomy: Investigating Altruism towards Middle-Groups  (2609.09046 - Houf et al., 8 Sep 2026) in Section 5, Discussion and Conclusion

In our study, participants take part in the privacy of their homes. Would it make a difference to run the study in a lab or in a public place?

— Going Beyond the In-/Out-Group Dichotomy: Investigating Altruism towards Middle-Groups  (2609.09046 - Houf et al., 8 Sep 2026) in Section 5, Discussion and Conclusion