A Behavior Analysis of Individuals' Use of the Fairness Heuristic When Interacting With Groups and Organizations

Abstract

In the present analysis the author utilizes the groups as patches model (Goltz, 2009, 2010) to extend fairness heuristic theory (Lind, 2001) in which the concept of fairness is thought to be a heuristic that allows individuals to match responses to consequences they receive from groups. In this model, individuals who are reviewing possible groups to join use stimuli they associate with fairness as screens to select groups with whom they will initiate contact. During initial contact, as well as after individuals have joined the group, individuals look for confirmation or disconfirmation of initial impressions of fairness, consistent with tracking, in which rules are followed because of a history of correspondence between the rule and the natural contingencies. These modified fairness assessments then serve to match the individual's responses to the rate of reinforcement being obtained from the group. In the case of unfairness, these responses may include lowered rates of responding, threats of punishment for unfairness, or switching to alternative groups.

Keywords:

• fairness
• rule-following
• foraging
• matching
• groups

Notes

Appreciation is extended to Tom Merz and Tom Mawhinney as well as to the anonymous reviewers who commented on earlier drafts of the article. An early version of this article was presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International Annual Convention, May 25, 2009, Phoenix, Arizona.