(Last update: 08/23/08. You are at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, USA).
Working Papers: New *.pdf files are loaded periodically, as the papers approach completion (Obtain free Adobe Acrobat Reader). Please send comments.E-Mail Address: glynne1@unl.edu
Lynne, G. D. "A Metaeconomics Look at the Case for a Multiple-Utility Conception." Working Paper. Lincoln, NE: Department of Agricultural Economics and School of Natural Resources Sciences, University of Nebaska-Lincoln, 2000. Abstract: The paper explores the Etzioni (1986) call for modeling human behavior as though individuals pursue both pleasure and moral utility. We examine the amoralist v. the moralist perspectives in economics v. sociology. The power of each in explaining familiar empirical anomalies is compared. The paper suggests the even greater power of the metaeconomics model that works in the fertile ground at the interstice of the amoralist and moralist programs. This unified social theory builds upon basic neuroscience research that suggests humans demonstrate egoistic and empathic tendencies with the will finding the distinct state. (For a PowerPoint presentation of this paper, click here).
Lynne, G.D. "Land Managers Pursue Multiple Utility, Not Futility: Toward a Metaeconomics Theory." Working Paper. Lincoln, NE: Department of Agricultural Economics and School of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2000. Abstract: The microeconomics conception of land managers, in particular, farmers and ranchers, posits that the selection of factor levels and combinations used to produce the variety of products in a farm or ranch firm represents allocable inputs and independence. This independence is presumed not only in the technical side of the firm but also in relationships between the manager and others in the firm; others in both the larger human community and the marketing channel, through to the final consumer; and in the natural environment. Yet, land managers and the firms are inexorably embedded and interdependent in these communities, natural and otherwise. A means is needed for modeling the "we-ness", or the "others-interest," and interdependence in both consumption and production. Metaeconomics provides an alternative to microeconomics and gives new insights into the interdependence problem faced by real land managers, who are both consumers and producers. The paper develops the simple analytics of metaeconomics and then explores the empirical evidence for this new theory that goes beyond and transcends microeconomics, with microeconomics a special case (For a PowerPoint presentation of this paper, click here).
Lynne, G.D., Laurence Cutforth and Kent Eskridge. "Balancing the Egoistic and Empathic Tendencies While Seeking Agrobiodiversity: Testing Metaeconomics Theory." Working Paper. Lincoln, NE: Department of Agricultural Economics and School of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2000. Abstract: Metaeconomics theory offers an alternative way to frame the environmental economics problem. It builds on biological tendencies for humans to seek a dynamic balance in both egoistic and empathic motivations, and on thermodynamics that highlights the fundamental interdependence among people and environment, leading to the justice problem. A natural tension and conflict persists among the forces, with an individual seeking new ways to achieve balance in a unique state of existence. Metaeconomics thinking facilitates the meta-economic value decision called for by Söllner(1997). Intergenerational (and contemporary) justice is addressed through empathy. Macro-economic limits on micro-behaviors become largely unnecessary subsequent to balancing the motivations toward the empathic side. The theory is tested for a sample of western Corn Belt, USA, farmers regarding their intentions to move away from monocropping and bicropping toward higher crop diversity. The results lend support to the theory that empathic commitment to others and the norms they represent along with profit-seeking jointly motivates economic actions and plans. We propose a metaeconomics that incorporates both thermodynamic and empathic realities, and can potentially yield valuable new understandings and solutions to environmental problems. (For a PowerPoint Presentation of this paper, click here).
Lynne, G.D. Socio-Economics: The Third Way. Working Paper. Lincoln, NE: Department of Agricultural Economics and School of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2000. Abstract: Sociologists and Institutional Economists historically have placed an inordinate amount of attention on the control of individuals while the Neoclassical Economists focus on individual freedoms. The former perspective generally leads to a large role for government or other kinds of social sanctioning while the latter leads to emphasizing only the market mechanism. The Third Way starts with recognizing that individuals jointly pursue both egoistic self-interests (I) and empathic others-interests (We). The challenge is to find the synergistic balance in the natural conflict and tension between these forces and to emerge on the plane of the distinct entity in an I-We state of satisfaction on the path of The Third Way. The move to a Socio-Economics view of this Third Way is explored, and a new theory referred to as Metaeconomics is briefly examined. (For a PowerPoint Presentation of this paper, click here ).
W. M. Hayes and G. D. Lynne. A Centerpiece for Ecological Economics. Working Paper. Lincoln, NE: Department of Agricultural Economics and School of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2002. Abstract: This new social theory offers a centering for ecological economics, with a philosophic background and a metaeconomic alternate to microeconomics as used in neoclassical economics. With a backdrop in cognitive neuroscience, evolutionary biology and psychology; metaphor; a typological map; empirical application and testing, the story is compelling. Self-interest presumed in standard economics is portrayed in metaphor as an egocentric stallion out of balance due to the nature of the horse and ways of the driver. The solution proposed is the need to realize a symbiotic balance with the complementary opposite, the empathic mare. A map utilizing the general principle of symmetry depicts a typical architectonic. Bridging with cognitive neuroscience and evolutionary theories, including evolutionary altruism, the theory reveals humanity having a triune brain reflected in ego (self- interest); empathic (others-interest); and symbiotic balancing (emergent-interest), rationally and reasonably considered. To demonstrate, metaeconomic analysis is applied to a case of soil and water conservation policy as it relates to farmer behavior, in order to further focus on Ego-Empathy as the centerpiece for ecological economics. (For a PowerPoint Presentation of an earlier version of this paper, click here ).
Lynne, G. D. "Neoinstitutional and Neoclassical Perspectives in Resource and Environmental Economics." (This paper was first drafted in 1986-1987 while at the University of Florida. It is currently being updated with key citations from papers addressing this matter since the late 1980s). Abstract: Neoinstitutional and neoclassical perspectives vary widely on such matters as the scope and methodology of economics, reflecting differences in underlying philosophies; psychology, i.e., just what is human nature; role of private and communal property; data and data sets, variables and parameters; wants and ends, given or derived; what-ought-to-be, issues of ultimate ends; time frames; technology, institutions and change; role of social forces and equilibrium; social costs; interventionist vs information generator, i.e., the role of the economic scientist. We see ways to avoid, and instead to fuse, the dichotomies in productive ways, albeit the fundamentally different value system at the base of the two approaches creates special challenges. We seek a symbiotic balance, and see the potential in some interstitial areas.
Lynne, G.D. and F. Hitzhusen. "Toward an Institutional and Behavioral (Agricultural) Economics: Assessing Progress." (This paper builds on the "Neoinstitutional and Neoclassical Perspectives..." paper in considering possible paths for the new, in 2002, Institutional and Behavioral Economics Section of the American Agricultural Economics Association).
Lynne, G.D. "Mathematical Appendix: A Metaeconomics Look at Social Capital." (This paper is a supporting document for the paper: "A Metaeconomics Look at Social Capital, Power, and the Decision to Stay in a Rural Community"
Lynne, G.D., Cordes, S., Allen, J.C., Bishop, R.C., Robison, L.J., Ryan, V.D. and Shaffer, R.E. "A Metaeconomics Look at Social Capital, Power, and the Decision to Stay in a Rural Community." Working Paper. Lincoln: University of Nebraska, U.S.A. Abstract: Putnam (2000) suggests that networks, norms and trust ... various dimensions of the stock of social capital... have been declining in the U.S., also, then, implicitly suggesting that power and control relationships in communities are changing. We might ask, in behavioral economic terms, why this might be occurring, especially in traditionally rural communities. The paper suggests a behavioral, metaeconomic theory is needed that includes the social capital construct as it relates to control (power). The theory is tested using survey information about individual plans to move as measured by the contingent value of staying, in a case study of one rural community in the heartland of the U.S. The role of control (and, thus, power) over individual choice to move or stay is explored. The degree of power is viewed in metaeconomics as interactive with the joint pursuit of both a self- and an others-interest. Metaeconomics goes beyond the standard economic rendition of a single-minded pursuit of self-interest and only the dispersed power presumed to be associated with complete self-discipline and internal control. Metaeconomics suggests the need to explicitly address self-control (power over self) as well as outside control, influence and power in individual choice, and, thus, in explaining the level of social capital and community viability. The social capital construct fits nicely within the metaeconomic approach to examining control (and power) in communities, and in explaining the variation in the contingent value of staying in a community as driven by the dual and joint interests. (paper presented at the XXVII Annual Colloquium on Research in Economic Psychology/ SABE 2002 Conference on Behavioral Economics, June 30 - July 4, 2002, Turku, Finland). (See a PowerPoint presentation of this paper).
Lynne, G.D. "Toward a Dual Motive Metaeconomic Theory." Presented at the Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics(SABE)/International Association for Research in Economic Psychology (IAREP) joint conference at Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., July 15-18, 2004. (See PowerPoint).
Lynne, G.D. "The Dark Side of Social Capital and the Ethics of Economic
Rationality." Presented in the Institutional and Behavioral Economics Section (IBES)
Track at the American Association of Agricultural Economics meeting in Denver,
Colorado, U.S.A., August 1-4, 2004. (See
PowerPoint).
Sautter, J., N. Ovchinnikova, C. Kruse and G. Lynne. "Farmers' Decisions
Regarding Carbon Sequestration: A Metaeconomics View."
Working Paper. Lincoln: University of Nebraska, 2007.
Sheeder, R.S. and Lynne, G.D. "Empathy Conditioned Reason: Finding Ways to Resolve Natural Resource Conflicts." Presented in the IBES (Institutional and Behavioral Economics) Track Session at the AAEA (Agricultural and Applied Economics Association) meeting in Orlando, Florida, July, 2008. This paper argues for adopting and further developing the dual motive, dual interests (metaeconomic) model as the core behavioral model in institutional economics. The paper was part of a Symposium focusing on the notion of volitional pragmatism on the way to sufficient reason for institutional and policy change (drawing on the new book by Bromley, D. W. Sufficient Reason: Voilitional Pragmatism and the Meaning of Economic Institutions. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2006); see the Audio Podcasts and PDF files of the presentation material at: http://my.unl.edu/webapps/lobj-podcast-bb_bb60/feed/Institutional_and_Behavioral_Economics_Interest_Group/podcast.xml
Ovchinnikova, N., Czap, H., Lynne, G.D., and Larimer, C. "'I Don't Want to Be Selling My Soul' : Two Experiments in Environmental Economics." Presented at the IAREP/SABE (International Association for Research in Economic Psychology/Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics) Conference in Rome, Italy, Sept. 3-6, 2008. (See a pdf of the PowerPoint used in the presentation).
Khachaturyan, M. and Lynne, G.D. "What Can Behavioral Economics Say About Eco-Business?" Presented at the IAREP/SABE (International Association for Research in Economic Psychology/Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics) Conference in Rome, Italy, Sept. 3-6, 2008. (See a pdf of the PowerPoint used in the presentation).
Published or in Press:
Lynne, G.D. and L.R. Rola. "Improving Attitude-Behavior Prediction Models With Economic Variables." J. Social Psychology. 128,1(Feb. 1988): 19-28.
Lynne, G.D. "Allocatable Fixed Inputs and Jointness in Agricultural Production: Implications for Economic Modeling: Comment." Amer. J. Agr. Econ. 70,4 (Nov. 1988): 947-949.
Lynne, G.D., J.S. Shonkwiler, and L.R. Rola. "Attitudes and Farmer Conservation Behavior." Amer. J. Agr. Econ. 70,1 (Feb. 1988): 12-19.
Lynne, G. D., J. W. Milon, and M. E. Wilson. "Identifying and Measuring Potential Conflict in Water Institutions." Wat. Resour. Bul 26,4 (Aug. 1990): 669-676.
Lynne, G. D., J. S. Shonkwiler, and M. E. Wilson. "Water Permitting Behavior Under the 1972 Florida Water Resources Act." Land Econ. 67,3 (August 1991): 340-351.
Lynne, G. D. "Modifying the Neo-Classical Approach to Technology Adoption With Behavioral Science Models." J. Agr. Applied Econ. 27,1 (July, 1995): 67-80.
Lynne, G. D., C. F. Casey, A. Hodges, and M. Rahmani. "Conservation Technology Adoption Decisions and the Theory of Planned Behavior." J. Economic Psychology 16 (1995): 581-598.
Kiker, C. F. and G. D. Lynne. "Wetland Values and Valuing Wetlands" in Charles L. Coultas and Yuch-Ping Hsieh. Ecology and Management of Tidal Marshes. Delray Beach, FL: St. Lucie Press, 1997, pp. 259-276.
Casey, F. and G. D. Lynne. Factors Affecting Investment in Drip Irrigation Technology: A Multiple Utility Approach ER 97-1. Gainesville, FL: Food and Resource Economics Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, March, 1997, 84 pp. + 17 pp. app.
Lynne, G. D. "Agricultural Regulation." Cornhusker Economics. Lincoln, NE: Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, November 19, 1997, 2 pp.
Lynne, G. D. and C. F. Casey. "Regulatory Control of Technology Adoption by Individuals Pursuing Multiple Utility." J. Socio-Economics 27, 6 (1998): 701-719.
Cutforth, L. and G. D. Lynne. "Declining Crop Diversity and Increasing Industrialization." Cornhusker Economics. Lincoln, NE: Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, August 4, 1999, 2 pp.
Casey, F. and G. D. Lynne. "Adoption of Water Conserving Technologies in Agriculture: The Role of Expected Profits and the Public Interest." In F. Casey, A. Schmitz, S. Swinton and D. Zilberman (Editors). Flexible Incentives for the Adoption of Environmental Technologies in Agriculture. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Press, 1999.
Lynne, G. D. "Divided Self Models of the Socioeconomic Person: The Metaeconomics Approach." J. Socio-Economics 28, 3 (1999): 267-288.
Siles, M., L.
Robison, B. Johnson, G. Lynne, and D. Beveridge. “Farmland Exchanges: Selection of Trading Partners,
Terms of Trade, and Social Capital.”
J.
Amer.
Soc. Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.
Annual Issue (2000): 127-140
Lynne, G.D. “Agricultural Industrialization: A Metaeconomics Look at the Metaphors by Which We Live.” Rev. Agri. Econ. 24,2 (2002): 410-427. (For a PowerPoint presentation based on this paper, click here).
Sam Cordes, John Allen, Richard C. Bishop, Gary D. Lynne, Lindon Robison, Vernon D. Ryan, Ron Shaffer. "Social Capital, Attachment Value, and Rural Development: A Conceptual Framework and Application of Contingent Valuation." American Journal of Agricultural Economics 85,5 (2003): 1201-1207.
Hayes, W. H. and G. D. Lynne. "Towards a Centerpiece for Ecological Economics." Ecological Economics 49,3 (2004): 287-301.
Kalinowski, C.M., Lynne, G.D. and Johnson, B. “Recycling as a Reflection of Balanced Self-Interest: A Test of the Metaeconomics Approach.” Environment and Behavior 38,3 (May, 2006): 333-355.
Hu, Qi, PytlikZillig, L.M., Lynne, G.D., Hubbard, K.G., Waltman, W.J., Hayes, M.J., Tomkins, A. J., Hoffman, S.J. and Wilhite, D.A. “Understanding Farmers’ Forecast Use from their Beliefs, Values, Social Norms and Perceived Obstacles.” Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 45 (2006): 1190-1201.
Artikov, I., Hoffman, S.J., Lynne, G.D., PytlikZillig, L.M., Hu, Qi, Tomkins, A.J., Hubbard, K.G., Hayes, M.J. and Waltman, W. “Understanding the Influence of Climate Forecasts on Farmer Decisions as Planned Behavior.” Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 45 (2006): 1202-1214.
Lynne, G.D. “Toward a Dual Motive Metaeconomic Theory.” Journal of Socioeconomics 35 (2006): 634-651.
Lynne, G.D. “On the Economics of Subselves: Toward a Metaeconomics.” Chp. 6 In Altman, Morris. Handbook of Contemporary Behavioral Economics. New York: M.E. Sharpe, 2006, pp. 99-122.