Leiden University Student Repository

Jol, Esther (2026)

Rechtvaardigheid op de weegschaal: Een experimenteel onderzoek naar rechtvaardigheidsprincipes en beslissingszekerheid bij het verdelen van studiebeurzen

Bachelor thesis | Psychologie (BSc)

This study investigated which distributive justice principles impartial decision-makers used when allocating a limited number of scholarships and whether offering an equal distribution option affected both allocation choices and decision certainty. Participants allocated scholarships between a merit group (high academic performance, low scholarship need) and a need group (high scholarship need, lower academic performance). It was hypothesised that, in the absence of an equal distribution option, there would be no consistent preference between the merit group and the need group, that offering an equal distribution option would reduce the number of allocations in which the majority of scholarships went to either the merit group or the need group, and that decision certainty would be higher when equal distribution was possible. In a between-subjects design, 201 British adults were randomly assigned to a condition without an equal distribution option (three scholarships; equal...Show moreThis study investigated which distributive justice principles impartial decision-makers used when allocating a limited number of scholarships and whether offering an equal distribution option affected both allocation choices and decision certainty. Participants allocated scholarships between a merit group (high academic performance, low scholarship need) and a need group (high scholarship need, lower academic performance). It was hypothesised that, in the absence of an equal distribution option, there would be no consistent preference between the merit group and the need group, that offering an equal distribution option would reduce the number of allocations in which the majority of scholarships went to either the merit group or the need group, and that decision certainty would be higher when equal distribution was possible. In a between-subjects design, 201 British adults were randomly assigned to a condition without an equal distribution option (three scholarships; equal distribution not possible) or with an equal distribution option (four scholarships; equal distribution possible). Outcomes were allocation choice (merit, need, or equal distribution) and decision certainty (0–100). Without the equal distribution option, 68.6% allocated the majority of scholarships to the need group and 31.4% to the merit group. With the equal distribution option, 44.4% chose equal distribution, 41.4% chose the need group, and 14.1% chose the merit group, consistent with the hypothesis that the equal distribution option reduced the number of majority allocations to either group. Contrary to expectations, mean decision certainty did not differ between conditions. Exploratory analyses indicated that participants who distributed equally reported lower decision certainty than those who chose the merit group or the need group. Overall, allocations to the need group dominated, and choice options affected allocation patterns but not decision certainty, highlighting the importance of choice options when designing selection procedures.Show less

Author

Jol, Esther

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Sociale en Economische besluitvorming

Supervisors

Mirre Stallen

ECTS Credits

15

Language

nl