Score contribution per author:
α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
Avoidance of certain pieces of information, i.e. ignoring the consequences of one’s choices for the well-being of others, has been shown to enhance selfishness. We argue that preferences for uncertainty or deliberate ignorance can also be employed by those seeking to behave pro-socially. We use a dictator game with hidden pay-offs for the dictators and allow participants to reveal their own pay-offs without a cost before making their allocation choice. We observe that a non-trivial fraction of participants do not reveal their pay-offs and choose the allocation that benefits others.