Enabling or Limiting Cognitive Flexibility with Marta Serra-Garcia

In this episode, we talk with Marta Serra-Garcia about her American Economic Review paper “Enabling or Limiting Cognitive Flexibility? Evidence of Demand for Moral Commitment,” co-authored with Silvia Saccardo. This paper investigates the nature and flexibility of self-serving beliefs in decision environments where morals and personal incentives are in conflict. Through laboratory experiments, the authors distinguish participants who are willing to curb opportunities for self-serving beliefs, favouring moral behaviour, from those who seek the cognitive flexibility to entertain beliefs that can justify their selfish decisions.