Mere Ownership Effect Is Equally Pronounced in Material and Immaterial Objects

Abstract. The mere ownership effect is an increase in the subjective value of owned objects compared to identical but non-owned objects. We tested whether differs magnitude between material and immaterial (e.g., information). Three hundred participants played incentivized detective game which they had connect clues identify a murderer. Their task was evaluate usefulness or their partners were endowed with. Despite fact that rated as more useful than ones, we found be similarly strong for clues.