Individual notions of distributive justice and relative economic status

We present two experiments designed to investigate whether individuals’ notions of distributive justice are associated with their relative (within-society) economic status. Each participant played a specially designed four-person dictator game under one of two treatments, under one initial endowments were earned, under the other they were randomly assigned. The first experiment was conducted in Oxford, United Kingdom, the second in Cape Town, South Africa. In both locations we found that relatively well-off individuals make allocations to others that reflect those others’ initial endowments more when those endowments were earned rather than random; among relatively poor individuals this was not the case.The research was funded by The John Fell Fund, University of Oxford

Individual notions of distributive justice and relative economic status

We present two experiments designed to investigate whether individuals’ notions of distributive justice are associated with their relative (within-society) economic status. Each participant played a specially designed four-person dictator game under one of two treatments, under one initial endowments were earned, under the other they were randomly assigned. The first experiment was conducted in Oxford, United Kingdom, the second in Cape Town, South Africa. In both locations we found that relatively well-off individuals make allocations to others that reflect those others’ initial endowments more when those endowments were earned rather than random; among relatively poor individuals this was not the case.Distributive Justice, Inequality, Laboratory Experiments

Individual notions of distributive justice and relative economic status

We present two experiments designed to investigate whether individuals’ notions of distributive justice are associated with their relative (within-society) economic status. Each participant played a specially designed four-person dictator game under one of two treatments, under one initial endowments were earned, under the other they were randomly assigned. The first experiment was conducted in Oxford, United Kingdom, the second in Cape Town, South Africa. In both locations we found that relatively well-off individuals make allocations to others that reflect those others’ initial endowments more when those endowments were earned rather than random; among relatively poor individuals this was not the case.Distributive Justice, Inequality, Laboratory Experiments.

Individual notions of distributive justice and relative economic status

Issues of inequality, distribution and redistribution are commanding progressively more attention in the minds of not only world leaders, politicians, and academics but also of ordinary people. So, what constitutes distributive justice in the minds of ordinary people? The philosophical literature offers several alternative principles of distributive justice. But which of these, if any, do ordinary people adopt as the principle against which to judge their own and other people's and entities' outcomes and actions? This paper presents the findings from two experiments designed to test the hypothesis that individuals' notions of distributive justice are associated with their economic status relative to others within their own society. In the experiments, each participant played a specially designed distribution game. This game allowed us to establish whether and to what extent the participants perceived inequalities owing to differences in productivity rather than luck as just and, hence, not in need of redress. A type of participant that distinguished between inequalities owing to productivity and luck, redressing the latter and not or to a lesser extent the former, is said to be subject to an earned endowment effect. Drawing on previous work in both economics and psychology, we hypothesised that the richer members of any society would be more likely to be subject to an earned endowment effect, while the poorer members would be more inclined towards redistribution irrespective of whether the inequality was owing to productivity or luck. We conducted our first experiment in the UK. We selected unemployed residents of one city to represent low economic status individuals and student and employed residents of the same city to represent relatively high economic status individuals. We found a statistically significant earned endowment effect among the students and employed and no effect among the unemployed. The difference between the unemployed and the others was also statistically significant. Our second experiment was designed to test the generalizability of the findings from our first. It was conducted in Cape Town, South Africa. Exploiting the fact that Cape Town is home to one of the continent's best universities, we built a participant sample that was highly comparable to the UK sample in many regards. However, the states of employment and unemployment are less distinct in South Africa as compared to the UK and a number of interventions are in place to ensure that the student body of the University of Cape Town includes young people from not only rich and middle income but also poorer households. So, in South Africa we chose to rely on responses to a survey question to distinguish between high and low economic status individuals. The findings from this second experiment also supported the hypothesis; among individuals who classified their households as rich or high or middle income there was a statistically significant earned endowment effect, among individuals who classified their households as poor or low income there was not and the different between the two participant types was significant. We conclude that individuals' notions of distributive justice are associated with their relative economic status within society and that this is a generalizable result.Distributive Justice; inequality; laboratory experiments.

Individual notions of distributive justice and relative economic status

We present two experiments designed to investigate whether individuals’ notions of distributive justice are associated with their relative (within-society) economic status. Each participant played a specially designed four-person dictator game under one of two treatments, under one initial endowments were earned, under the other they were randomly assigned. The first experiment was conducted in Oxford, United Kingdom, the second in Cape Town, South Africa. In both locations we found that relatively well-off individuals make allocations to others that reflect those others’ initial endowments more when those endowments were earned rather than random; among relatively poor individuals this was not the case.distributive justice, inequality, laboratory experiments

Economic status and acknowledgement of earned entitlement

We present a series of experiments that investigates whether tendencies to acknowledge entitlement owing to effort and productivity are associated with within society economic status. Each participant played a four-person dictator game under one of two treatments, under one initial endowments were earned, under the other they were randomly assigned. The experiments were conducted in the United Kingdom, and South Africa. In both locations we found that relatively well-off individuals make allocations to others that reflect those others’ initial endowments more when those endowments were earned rather than random; among relatively poor individuals this was not the case

Effects of chronic exposure to the water-soluble fraction of crude oil and in situ burn residue of oil on egg-bearing Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis)

Oil spill clean-up measures using in situ burning can potentially result in seafloor contamination affecting benthic organisms. To mimic realistic exposure and measure effects, ovigerous Northern shrimp were continuously exposed for two weeks to the water-soluble fraction of oil coated on gravel followed by two weeks in clean seawater. North Sea crude oil (NSC) and field generated in situ burn residue (ISBR) of NSC were used (Low: 3 g/kg gravel, Medium: 6 g/kg gravel and High: 12 g/kg gravel). The concentrations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the water resulting from NSC were higher compared to ISBR. No mortality was observed in any treatment and overall moderate sublethal effects were found, mostly after exposure to NSC. Feeding was temporarily reduced at higher concentrations of NSC. PAH levels in hepatopancreas tissue were significantly elevated following exposure and still significantly higher at the end of the experiment in NSCHigh and ISBRHigh compared to control. Mild inflammatory response reactions and tissue ultrastructural alterations in gill tissue were observed in both treatments. Signs of necrosis occurred in ISBRHigh. No change in shrimp locomotory activity was noted from NSC exposure. However, ISBR exposure increased activity temporarily. Larvae exposed as pleopod-attached embryos showed significant delay in development from stage I to stage II after exposure to NSCHigh. Based on this study, oil-contaminated seafloor resulting from in situ burning clean-up actions does not appear to cause serious effects on bottom-living shrimp.publishedVersio

Parents and GPs’ understandings and beliefs about food allergy testing in children with eczema:qualitative interview study within the Trial of Eczema allergy Screening Tests (TEST) feasibility trial

Aim To explore parent and general practitioner (GP) understanding and beliefs about food allergy testing for children with eczema.Design and setting Qualitative interview study in UK primary care within the Trial of Eczema allergy Screening Tests feasibility trial.Participants Semi-structured interviews with parents of children with eczema taking part in the feasibility study and GPs at practices hosting the study.Results 21 parents and 11 GPs were interviewed. Parents discussed a range of potential causes for eczema, including a role for food allergy. They believed allergy testing to be beneficial as it could potentially identify a cure or help reduce symptoms and they found negative tests reassuring, suggesting to them that no dietary changes were needed. GPs reported limited experience and uncertainty regarding food allergy in children with eczema. While some GPs believed referral for allergy testing could be appropriate, most were unclear about its utility. They thought it should be reserved for children with severe eczema or complex problems but wanted more information to advise parents and help guide decision making.Conclusions Parents’ motivations for allergy testing are driven by the desire to improve their child’s condition and exclude food allergy as a possible cause of symptoms. GPs are uncertain about the role of allergy testing and want more information about its usefulness to support parents and help inform decision making.Trial registration number ISRCTN15397185

Parents and GPs' understandings and beliefs about food allergy testing in children with eczema: Qualitative interview study within the Trial of Eczema allergy Screening Tests (TEST) feasibility trial

Aim To explore parent and general practitioner (GP) understanding and beliefs about food allergy testing for children with eczema. Design and setting Qualitative interview study in UK primary care within the Trial of Eczema allergy Screening Tests feasibility trial. Participants Semi-structured interviews with parents of children with eczema taking part in the feasibility study and GPs at practices hosting the study. Results 21 parents and 11 GPs were interviewed. Parents discussed a range of potential causes for eczema, including a role for food allergy. They believed allergy testing to be beneficial as it could potentially identify a cure or help reduce symptoms and they found negative tests reassuring, suggesting to them that no dietary changes were needed. GPs reported limited experience and uncertainty regarding food allergy in children with eczema. While some GPs believed referral for allergy testing could be appropriate, most were unclear about its utility. They thought it should be reserved for children with severe eczema or complex problems but wanted more information to advise parents and help guide decision making. Conclusions Parents' motivations for allergy testing are driven by the desire to improve their child's condition and exclude food allergy as a possible cause of symptoms. GPs are uncertain about the role of allergy testing and want more information about its usefulness to support parents and help inform decision making

Activation-induced killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor 3DL2 binding to HLA-B27 licenses pathogenic T cell differentiation in spondyloarthritis

Objective In the spondyloarthritides (SpA), increased numbers of CD4+ T cells express killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor 3DL2 (KIR-3DL2). The aim of this study was to determine the factors that induce KIR-3DL2 expression, and to characterize the relationship between HLA–B27 and the phenotype and function of KIR-3DL2–expressing CD4+ T cells in SpA. Methods In total, 34 B27+ patients with SpA, 28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (20 B27− and 8 B27+), and 9 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were studied. KIR-3DL2 expression and other phenotypic characteristics of peripheral blood and synovial fluid CD4+ T cells were studied by flow cytometry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and Western blotting. T cell receptor clonality was determined by template-switch anchored reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis. Cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Cellular activation induced KIR-3DL2 expression on both naive and effector CD4+ T cells. KIR-3DL2 binding to B27+ cells promoted expression of KIR-3DL2, the Th17-specific transcription factor retinoic acid receptor–related orphan nuclear receptor γt, and the antiapoptotic factor B cell lymphoma 2. KIR-3DL2+CD4+ T cells in patients with ankylosing spondylitis were oligoclonal and enriched for markers of T cell activation and for the gut homing receptor CCR9. In the presence of B27+ antigen-presenting cells, KIR-3DL2+CD4+ T cells produced less interleukin-2 (IL-2) but more IL-17. This effect was blocked by HC10, an antibody that inhibits the binding of KIR-3DL2 to B27 heavy chains. Conclusion KIR-3DL2 binding to HLA–B27 licenses Th17 cell differentiation in SpA. These findings raise the therapeutic potential of targeting HLA–B27–KIR-3DL2 interactions for the treatment of B27+ patients with SpA