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Preregistration

Why do we punish? On retribution, deterrence, and the moderating role of punishment system

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Nockur, Laila
Kesberg, Rebekka
Pfattheicher, Stefan
Keller, Johannes

Abstract / Description

We investigate whether individuals’ punishment behavior aims at compensating for inflicted harm (i.e., retribution) or at deterring the offender from committing the offense again (i.e., deterrence), and whether punishment motives depend on the punishment system. Implementing a strategy method, participants (N = 150) can assign punishment for each possible decision of an allocator in a group resource allocation task under three conditions: Open punishment (the allocator knows about the punishment, allowing for retribution and deterrence); hidden punishment (the allocator does not know about the punishment, precluding deterrence); and unintentional offense (decision is made by the computer not the allocator, precluding retribution and deterrence). Contrasting punishment in the hidden punishment and unintentional offense condition reveals retribution, whereas contrasting punishment in the open and hidden punishment condition reveals deterrence. We further examine whether punishment motives depend on whether individuals punish in a decentralized or centralized punishment system.

Persistent Identifier

PsychArchives acquisition timestamp

2021-07-30 06:26:31 UTC

Publisher

PsychArchives

Citation

Nockur, L., Kesberg, R., Pfattheicher, S., & Keller, J. (2021). Why do we punish? On retribution, deterrence, and the moderating role of punishment system. PsychArchives. https://doi.org/10.23668/PSYCHARCHIVES.5016
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Nockur, Laila
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Kesberg, Rebekka
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Pfattheicher, Stefan
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Keller, Johannes
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2021-07-30T06:26:31Z
  • Made available on
    2021-07-30T06:26:31Z
  • Date of first publication
    2021-03-16
  • Abstract / Description
    We investigate whether individuals’ punishment behavior aims at compensating for inflicted harm (i.e., retribution) or at deterring the offender from committing the offense again (i.e., deterrence), and whether punishment motives depend on the punishment system. Implementing a strategy method, participants (N = 150) can assign punishment for each possible decision of an allocator in a group resource allocation task under three conditions: Open punishment (the allocator knows about the punishment, allowing for retribution and deterrence); hidden punishment (the allocator does not know about the punishment, precluding deterrence); and unintentional offense (decision is made by the computer not the allocator, precluding retribution and deterrence). Contrasting punishment in the hidden punishment and unintentional offense condition reveals retribution, whereas contrasting punishment in the open and hidden punishment condition reveals deterrence. We further examine whether punishment motives depend on whether individuals punish in a decentralized or centralized punishment system.
  • Publication status
    other
  • Review status
    unknown
  • Citation
    Nockur, L., Kesberg, R., Pfattheicher, S., & Keller, J. (2021). Why do we punish? On retribution, deterrence, and the moderating role of punishment system. PsychArchives. https://doi.org/10.23668/PSYCHARCHIVES.5016
    en
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/4444
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5016
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychArchives
  • Is related to
    https://www.psycharchives.org/handle/20.500.12034/4442
  • Is related to
    https://www.psycharchives.org/handle/20.500.12034/4443
  • Is related to
    https://www.psycharchives.org/handle/20.500.12034/4445
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Why do we punish? On retribution, deterrence, and the moderating role of punishment system
  • DRO type
    preregistration