Table 1.
Disutility judgments. Task items and descriptive statistics (mean, SD, 25%ile, median, 75%ile)
| Item # | Item | Mean | SD | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| %ile | %ile | |||||
| 36. | Cleaning bathrooms | 21.70 | 13.20 | 14.75 | 20.00 | 30.00 |
| 31. | Tutoring for SAT preparation | 19.68 | 12.53 | 10.00 | 18.00 | 25.00 |
| 80. | Help people complete IRS tax forms | 19.08 | 11.55 | 13.00 | 15.00 | 21.00 |
| 2. | Complete SAT-type essays | 18.53 | 11.74 | 12.25 | 15.00 | 20.00 |
| 109. | Vacuuming and dusting or mopping floors | 17.51 | 13.89 | 10.00 | 14.00 | 20.00 |
| 97. | Change flat tires on cars | 17.18 | 12.61 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 20.00 |
| 108. | Waiting in an airport for a delayed flight | 17.05 | 12.92 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 20.00 |
| 89. | Watching security cameras for a public park | 16.89 | 10.99 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 20.00 |
| 12. | Evaluating different dorm/apartment rental insurance policies | 16.87 | 10.70 | 12.00 | 15.00 | 20.00 |
| 65. | Determining the best allocation of investments for a retirement account (e.g., 401k) | 16.53 | 14.13 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 20.00 |
| 46. | Helping people choose the best credit card to match their financial situation and expected expenses. | 16.17 | 8.44 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 20.00 |
| 106. | Picking up trash along a park walking path | 15.75 | 15.40 | 8.00 | 12.00 | 15.50 |
| 60. | Trim hedges/bushes | 15.59 | 9.46 | 10.00 | 14.00 | 20.00 |
| 115. | Being a crossing guard at a school | 15.29 | 10.37 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 20.00 |
| 58. | Entering data into Excel spreadsheets | 15.26 | 11.01 | 9.50 | 12.00 | 20.00 |
| 113. | Canning vegetables | 15.00 | 10.36 | 10.00 | 13.00 | 15.50 |
| 29. | Proofreading company documents for style, grammar, and spelling | 14.97 | 8.99 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 20.00 |
| 17. | Washing cars | 14.88 | 9.54 | 10.00 | 12.00 | 17.00 |
| 9. | Weeding a garden | 14.80 | 10.02 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 20.00 |
| 32. | Filing patient charts/files in a doctor’s office | 14.72 | 8.53 | 9.50 | 12.00 | 15.50 |
| 74. | Serving on a jury for a product liability lawsuit | 14.41 | 12.96 | 9.50 | 15.00 | 18.00 |
| 8. | Painting an apartment living room | 14.28 | 9.88 | 10.00 | 12.00 | 20.00 |
| 52. | Read textbook on European history | 14.22 | 11.28 | 8.00 | 14.00 | 20.00 |
| 7. | Helping build a storage shed | 14.20 | 8.48 | 10.00 | 13.00 | 20.00 |
| 114. | Presenting a request to a local planning commission | 14.11 | 9.43 | 10.00 | 12.00 | 20.00 |
| 37. | Installing, setting up a new Wi-Fi router, and connecting various Internet-enabled devices (lights, thermostat, TV, etc.) | 14.04 | 9.02 | 10.00 | 15.00 | 18.50 |
| 38. | Assisting in a bird census (observing, classifying, and counting birds in a nature sanctuary) | 13.81 | 11.15 | 9.50 | 11.00 | 20.00 |
| 124. | Supervising children in a park | 13.68 | 9.13 | 10.00 | 12.00 | 15.00 |
| 19. | Driving a car for 200 miles on an interstate highway | 13.63 | 11.89 | 9.00 | 12.00 | 18.00 |
| 15. | Making a scrapbook for somebody you don’t know | 13.54 | 7.70 | 10.00 | 13.00 | 16.00 |
| 26. | Serving on a jury for a trial where the defendant is accused of assault | 13.36 | 12.78 | 6.75 | 10.00 | 19.25 |
| 51. | Making seating charts for a wedding | 13.14 | 6.45 | 9.00 | 12.00 | 16.00 |
| 61. | Creating a monthly budget based on expenses over the past year | 13.11 | 9.76 | 9.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 98. | Scanning print documents into the computer | 13.03 | 9.32 | 8.50 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 121. | Leading a classroom discussion on assigned readings | 12.80 | 7.09 | 8.00 | 11.00 | 19.00 |
| 43. | Re-finishing an old coffee table | 12.69 | 7.86 | 9.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 5. | Obedience training a dog | 12.63 | 10.65 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 99. | Write a short story | 12.61 | 12.90 | 5.00 | 11.00 | 20.00 |
| 16. | Assisting in an archeological “dig” | 12.57 | 13.97 | 7.25 | 14.00 | 20.00 |
| 44. | Designing and constructing a birdhouse | 12.49 | 8.75 | 9.00 | 12.00 | 15.00 |
| 53. | Assembling layouts for a print newsletter (photos, text, advertising) | 12.45 | 7.33 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 35. | Stuffing envelopes for a mass mailing | 12.42 | 6.78 | 9.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 105. | Being a referee at an amateur tennis competition | 12.33 | 9.86 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 27. | Rake leaves | 12.18 | 7.58 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 70. | Writing poetry | 12.15 | 12.87 | 5.00 | 12.00 | 19.00 |
| 93. | Listing items online for sale | 12.15 | 8.27 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 96. | Organizing computer files for backup | 12.11 | 8.03 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 95. | Planning the needed supplies and materials for a “poker night” for 100 people | 11.98 | 8.08 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 50. | Do laundry | 11.85 | 10.02 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 14.00 |
| 125. | Assembling IKEA-type furniture | 11.85 | 11.63 | 8.00 | 10.50 | 15.00 |
| 3. | Addressing invitations for a wedding | 11.80 | 5.35 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 49. | Entering phone/e-mail contact information into new smartphones | 11.80 | 7.60 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 64. | Presenting a book report to a book club | 11.79 | 10.04 | 6.50 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 116. | Using Photoshop to “restore” old photos | 11.79 | 10.81 | 7.50 | 10.00 | 18.00 |
| 42. | Filing books in a public library | 11.55 | 8.22 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 24. | Preparing/revising a résumé | 11.49 | 8.24 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 112. | Organizing photos and text for a website | 11.35 | 7.05 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 11. | Helping people move items in or out of a dorm room | 11.31 | 8.25 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 45. | Researching cellphone plans and prices | 11.17 | 6.51 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 14.50 |
| 73. | Making the schedule of games for an amateur sports tournament | 11.07 | 6.41 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 118. | Sorting clothes for a rummage sale | 11.00 | 8.12 | 7.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 33. | Researching prices and options for purchase of a computer printer | 10.81 | 8.05 | 7.00 | 10.00 | 13.00 |
| 76. | Creating PowerPoint slides for a presentation | 10.79 | 7.16 | 7.50 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 79. | Programming a robot for a 4th grade class demonstration | 10.55 | 12.80 | 4.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 77. | Using online resources for researching event venues for a celebration | 10.55 | 6.41 | 7.50 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 120. | Editing a video and adding audio tracks for a YouTube video | 10.45 | 11.31 | 5.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 28. | Assembling a custom desktop computer according to printed and video instructions | 10.22 | 13.15 | 3.25 | 10.00 | 15.75 |
| 86. | Writing thank you notes | 10.13 | 7.73 | 5.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 54. | Hang posters and pictures on walls | 9.98 | 6.65 | 7.00 | 10.00 | 12.00 |
| 85. | Grading 4th grade math problem sheets (e.g., addition/subtraction problems) | 9.96 | 6.37 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 12.00 |
| 91. | Riding as a passenger for 200 miles on an interstate highway | 9.92 | 12.24 | 3.25 | 9.00 | 14.75 |
| 23. | Planning a course for a 10K charity walk | 9.88 | 7.75 | 7.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 84. | Sketching still life scenes | 9.61 | 11.93 | 1.50 | 9.00 | 15.00 |
| 78. | Reading poetry | 9.54 | 11.70 | 4.50 | 10.00 | 14.50 |
| 34. | Dog walking | 9.48 | 6.44 | 7.00 | 9.50 | 14.50 |
| 41. | Planning a dinner party for 8 people (menu, grocery list, etc.) | 9.44 | 7.98 | 5.50 | 10.00 | 12.00 |
| 123. | Planning a vacation (i.e., comparing prices and routes for airline travel and hotels) | 9.37 | 10.20 | 5.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 1. | Completing a paint-by-numbers project | 9.01 | 10.08 | 5.00 | 10.00 | 12.00 |
| 57. | Bird watching | 8.84 | 10.03 | .00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| 14. | Installing applications on a smartwatch | 8.61 | 9.06 | 2.50 | 8.00 | 10.00 |
| 104. | Reading a biography about Franklin D. Roosevelt | 8.40 | 10.76 | .00 | 7.00 | 13.50 |
| 107. | Watch a documentary on the history of Afghanistan | 8.32 | 10.58 | .00 | 10.00 | 12.00 |
| 63. | Attending a lecture on art appreciation | 7.93 | 11.22 | .00 | 8.00 | 15.00 |
| 122. | Attending a political debate (e.g., for the governor’s office or for a senator) | 7.70 | 14.25 | .00 | 8.00 | 15.00 |
| 6. | Reading Time/Newsweek/US News & World Report magazines | 7.64 | 8.62 | .00 | 9.00 | 11.50 |
| 102. | Assembling a desk clock kit from printed instructions with small tools and a soldering iron | 7.46 | 9.48 | .00 | 9.00 | 12.00 |
| Minimum Wage Boundary | ||||||
| 59. | Watching TED Talks on high energy physics | 7.00 | 13.83 | −.50 | 7.00 | 11.00 |
| 55. | Attending a lecture on film history | 6.96 | 10.24 | .00 | 8.00 | 12.00 |
| 40. | Watch a documentary on the fashion industry | 6.79 | 9.44 | .00 | 8.00 | 10.00 |
| 92. | Watch a documentary on detecting art fraud | 6.45 | 11.50 | −2.00 | 7.00 | 11.50 |
| 56. | Judging an audition for a talent show | 6.29 | 10.60 | .00 | 6.00 | 10.00 |
| 72. | Solving Rubik’s Cubes | 6.15 | 10.54 | .00 | 8.00 | 12.50 |
| 18. | Read The New York Times | 6.00 | 8.21 | .00 | 7.00 | 10.00 |
| 111. | Watch a documentary on the Flint, Michigan water crisis | 5.85 | 10.17 | .00 | 5.00 | 10.00 |
| 13. | Creating a playlist of songs for a party/event | 5.62 | 8.25 | .00 | 5.00 | 10.00 |
| 100. | Playing chess | 5.29 | 11.16 | −1.50 | 5.00 | 10.00 |
| 47. | Assembling a complex jigsaw picture puzzle | 5.25 | 8.70 | .00 | 5.00 | 10.00 |
| 69. | Completing crossword puzzles | 5.07 | 7.06 | .00 | 5.00 | 10.00 |
| 66. | Playing bridge | 4.96 | 7.97 | .00 | 5.00 | 10.00 |
| 30. | Completing Sudoku puzzles | 4.74 | 8.69 | .00 | 5.00 | 10.00 |
| 22. | Watch a documentary on the Large Hadron Collider | 4.58 | 7.31 | .00 | 5.00 | 10.00 |
| 110. | Read Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time | 4.49 | 9.95 | −.50 | 5.00 | 10.00 |
| 20. | Playing Solitaire on the computer | 4.41 | 8.91 | −1.00 | 5.00 | 8.00 |
| 10. | Playing Scrabble | 4.07 | 8.55 | −1.00 | 5.00 | 8.00 |
| 4. | Play Bingo | 3.77 | 7.25 | −1.50 | 5.00 | 9.50 |
| 48. | Searching for ancestry information (e.g., looking up your distant relatives on Ancestry.com) | 3.65 | 10.45 | −5.00 | 2.50 | 10.00 |
| 75. | Attending the opera | 3.50 | 16.52 | − 5.50 | 5.00 | 13.00 |
| 87. | Attending a workshop on financial literacy (for example, credit cards, mortgages, life insurance, retirement) | 3.22 | 14.45 | −6.00 | .00 | 10.00 |
| 81. | Playing Trivial Pursuit | 2.93 | 7.71 | .00 | 1.00 | 8.00 |
| 88. | Learning how to juggle | 2.79 | 10.45 | −4.50 | .00 | 8.00 |
| 68. | Playing a Tetris-type game | 2.76 | 6.57 | −1.00 | .00 | 8.00 |
| 103. | Attending a health and wellness workshop for planning a personal exercise program | 2.59 | 10.54 | − 4.50 | .00 | 10.00 |
| 39. | Playing Jeopardy! with other college students | 2.50 | 9.09 | −4.00 | .00 | 9.50 |
| 94. | Learning how to control a flying drone | 2.37 | 10.98 | −5.50 | 2.00 | 3.00 |
| 119. | Playing strategy games such as Risk or Settlers of Catan | 2.28 | 8.41 | −2.00 | .00 | 8.00 |
| 101. | Read mystery novel | 2.27 | 10.17 | − 2.50 | .00 | 8.00 |
| 71. | Watching TED Talks on bioengineering (e.g., new portable diagnostic devices, tissue engineered organs) | 2.03 | 9.57 | −4.00 | .00 | 10.00 |
| 67. | Attending a lecture on artificial intelligence | 1.96 | 10.43 | −9.00 | .00 | 5.00 |
| 117. | Watching TED Talks on motivation and learning | 1.96 | 8.32 | −3.00 | .00 | 10.00 |
| 21. | Watching TED Talks on human relationships | 1.80 | 7.18 | − 3.00 | .00 | 8.00 |
| 83. | Visiting an art museum | .26 | 10.65 | −7.50 | .00 | 8.00 |
| 62. | Attending a play by Shakespeare | .24 | 11.93 | −8.50 | .00 | 9.00 |
| 90. | Attending a classical music concert | .20 | 15.33 | −10.00 | .00 | 10.00 |
| 82. | Playing pool (billiards) | .16 | 6.90 | −5.00 | .00 | 5.00 |
| 25. | Watching TED Talks on new technology advances | .06 | 7.46 | −5.00 | .00 | 6.50 |