Weight-based discrimination in financial reward and punishment decision making: causal evidence using a novel experimental paradigm

Jones, A ORCID: 0000-0001-5951-889X, Hardman, CA, Devlin, N, Pennington, CR ORCID: 0000-0002-5259-642X and Robinson, E (2022) Weight-based discrimination in financial reward and punishment decision making: causal evidence using a novel experimental paradigm. International Journal of Obesity, 46 (7). pp. 1288-1294. ISSN 0307-0565

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Abstract

Background/Objectives: Cross-sectional research has demonstrated weight-related stigma and discrimination, however experimental research providing causal evidence of financial-based weight discrimination is lacking. The aim of these preregistered experiments was to examine whether a novel paradigm in which participants attributed financial rewards and punishments could be used to detect weight bias. Subjects/Methods: One-hundred and twenty-one individuals participated in experiment 1 and one-hundred and sixty-six individuals participated in experiment 2. Both studies were conducted online, and participants were provided with biographies of hypothetical individuals in which weight-status was manipulated (normal weight vs. overweight/obesity) before being asked to provide rewards and punishments on their cognitive performance. In experiment 1 (within-participants design) participants observed one individual they believed to be normal weight and one individual they believed to be overweight/have obesity. In experiment 2 (between-participants design) participants observed one individual whilst also being provided with information about food addiction (Food addiction is real + individual with overweight/obesity vs. food addiction is a myth + individual with overweight/obesity vs control + individual with normal weight). Results: In experiment 1, participants punished individuals who were described as having overweight/obesity to a greater extent to individuals who were normal weight (Hedge’s g = −0.21 [95% CI: −0.02 to −0.41], p = 0.026), but there was no effect on rewards. They were also less likely to recommend individuals with overweight/obesity to pass the tasks (X2(1) = 10.05, p = 0.002). In experiment 2, participants rewarded individuals whom they believed were overweight/obese to a lesser extent than normal-weight individuals (g = 0.49 [95% CI: 0.16 to 0.83]. There was no effect on punishment, nor any impact of information regarding food addiction as real vs a myth. Conclusion: Using a novel discrimination task, these two experiments demonstrate causal evidence of weight-based discrimination in financial decision making.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Humans; Obesity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Punishment; Reward; Decision Making; Overweight; Weight Prejudice; Cross-Sectional Studies; Decision Making; Humans; Obesity; Overweight; Punishment; Reward; Weight Prejudice; 11 Medical and Health Sciences; 13 Education; Endocrinology & Metabolism
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions:	Psychology (from Sep 2019)
Publisher:	Springer
Date of acceptance:	25 February 2022
Date of first compliant Open Access:	15 December 2022
Date Deposited:	15 Dec 2022 09:28
Last Modified:	05 Jul 2025 11:30
DOI or ID number:	10.1038/s41366-022-01109-z
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/18401

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