Choosing for others increases the value of comparative utility

The tradeoff between absolute and comparative utilities is a central topic in research on judgment and decision making. The current research investigates the different levels of importance that individuals attach to absolute and comparative utilities when making decisions for themselves versus others. We hypothesize that people will prefer options high in comparative utility for others more than for themselves because people believe others value social comparison more than themselves. This belief stems from the low accessibility of others' behaviors with respect to not making social comparisons. Across four studies, the self–other differences were observed in hypothetical and realistic settings; the differences were caused by individuals' beliefs that they valued comparative utility less than others; when others' behaviors of not making social comparisons were made accessible, the self–other differences disappeared.