Motivation and ability as predictors of play behavior in state‐sponsored lotteries: An empirical assessment of psychological control

This research explores the interaction of motivation and ability to explain individuals' level of participation in state‐sponsored lotteries. The motivation–ability framework is considered from the perspective of perceived control wherein Rotter's (1966) locus of control serves as a perceived ability to influence lottery outcomes, and the Burger and Cooper (1979) desire for control serves as a motivation to play. With the use of a sample of adult consumers residing in a state with a government‐sponsored lottery, predicted results were found. Specifically, the consumers who played the lottery to the greatest extent were those with internal locus of control (high perceived ability) and high desire for control (high motivation). © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

CHANGE DETECTION OF ORDERS IN STOCK MARKETS USING A GAUSSIAN MIXTURE MODEL

We propose a method for detecting changes in the order balance in stock markets by applying a stochastic model to the feature vectors extracted from the order‐book data of stocks. First, the data are divided into training and test periods. Next, a Gaussian mixture model is estimated from the feature vectors extracted from the order‐book data in the training period. Finally, the goodness of fit of the feature vectors in the test period over this model is calculated. Using the proposed method, we found that the order balances of stocks for which insider trading was reported were unusual. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Perceived Ethicality of Insurance Claim Fraud: Do Higher Deductibles Lead to Lower Ethical Standards?

Insurance claim fraud costs insurance companies, policymakers, and taxpayers billions of dollars every year and has been described as the second largest white collar crime. The most common insurance fraud activity and one that contributes a significant portion of dollar losses is the practice of padding claim amounts in the event of a loss. One of the largest issues insurance companies face is that policyholders often do not perceive insurance claim padding as an unethical behavior. However, very little research has examined the factors that contribute to such perceptions. Considering how consumers often attempt to justify fraudulent behavior from a fairness perspective, the present work examines how the amount of the deductible in an insurance claim situation can influence feelings of fairness and ethicality. The results of an experimental study show that higher deductible amounts result in stronger perceptions that insurance claim padding is fair to the insurance company, weaker perceptions that the behavior is unethical, and higher proposed claim award amounts. The study also shows, however, that the deductible amount effects are attenuated for consumers who display higher ethical standards as reflected by their scores on the consumer ethics scale. Implications are discussed with respect to the insurance industry, deviant consumer behavior, and general business ethics theory.     

The Accuracy of Scanned Prices

Nearly all retailers use price scanning systems to process transactions quickly, and presumably, accurately. Inaccuracies in scanned prices have important implications for retailers in that undercharges may impact retail profitability while overcharges could result in negative consumer perceptions of retailers and continued legal action. Here, we investigate the overall State of accuracy of scanned prices and develop certain empirical generalizations. To do so, we begin with a review of what is known regarding the accuracy of scanned prices and conduct a reanalysis of FTC data and compare the results with those from more recent cross-sectional data from the State of Washington. We then conduct a thorough analysis of a large longitudinal price scanner data set, with 231,760 products screened over a 15-year period. We investigate accuracy across different retailer characteristics, merchandise locations, and promotional activities. Implications of these results for retailers are discussed.