If it walks like fairness, and quacks like fairness, it sometimes is fairness: instrumental and true fairness in bargaining

Abstract

To what extent are bargainers motivated by fairness and self-interest? To answer this question, we will review previous research on ultimatum bargaining. Based on this review, we argue that it is relevant to distinguish between instrumental fairness and true fairness. We speak of instrumental fairness when bargainers use fairness to maximise their own outcomes. In contrast, true fairness is linked to a concern for the outcomes of one’s opponent. Our review reveals four moderators that affect the use of the two types of fairness: (a) the social value orientations of the bargainers, (b) the emotions bargainers communicate, (c) the valence of the bargaining outcomes, and (d) the initial distribution of property. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65, 155-162).