Abstract.
This paper examines the problem of distilling conflicting interpersonal comparisons into a single set of interpersonal comparisons. The mapping that achieves this has a richer co-domain than all social choice problems (and a richer domain than most social choice problems). The set of mappings satisfying a mild set of restrictions is very small. If interpersonal comparisons embody ratio-scale comparability then the mapping is Cobb–Douglas in form; if interpersonal comparisons embody no more than level and difference comparability then the mapping must be dictatorial and it is impossible to combine different interpersonal comparisons.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 16 February 1995/Accepted: 13 October 1995
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roberts, K. Objective interpersonal comparisons of utility. Soc Choice Welfare 14, 79–96 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003550050053
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003550050053