Utility on the Brain: An Empirical Investigation of Fairness Perceptions of Algorithmic Decisions under a Utility-Based Ethical Evaluation Framework

Abstract

This paper presents insights from a controlled experiment that examines how exposure to a utility-based fairness evaluation framework affects individuals’ perceptions of fairness and preferences for various fairness metrics in algorithmic allocation decisions. The framework’s key features are (1) the explicit reference to the otherwise implicit utility assumptions for the affected groups and (2) the inclusion of deservedness arguments, a central tenet from moral philosophy. Conducted in the context of an employment agency that allocates job coaching slots, the study investigates two core questions: (1) How does the utility-based evaluation framework influence preferences for fairness metrics? (2) How does it affect the fairness perceptions of the resulting outcomes? The results show that people exposed to the utility-based evaluation framework choose different fairness metrics than people without such ethical guidance.