Mainstreameconomicsconsidersindividualpreferencestobefixedandunchanging.Althoughpsychologistsandothersocialscientistsexplorehowtastesareformed,influenced,andevolve,itisnotconsidered“proper“inorthodoxeconomicstodoso.ArguingAboutTastesmakesthecasethateconomistsshouldabandontheprinciplethatpreferencesarefixedandinsteadincorporateintotheirworkhowcontextandexperienceshapeindividualtastes.DavidM.Krepsarguesthatthedisciplinemustaccountfordynamicpersonaltasteswhenitcomestounderstandingsocialexchange,emphasizinghumanresourcemanagementandon-the-jobbehavior.Hedevelopsformalmodelsthatillustratethepowerofintrinsicmotivationandshowwhyapplyingextrinsicincentivescanbecounterproductive.Krepsweighstheadvantagesanddisadvantagesoftheprincipledegustibusnonestdisputandum:thereisnoarguingabouttastes.Hecallsforaneweraofeconomicsinwhichpreferencesaretakenintoaccount--andnotforgranted.ArguingAboutTastesconcludeswithresponsesbythedistinguishedeconomistsAlessandraCasellaandJosephE.StiglitzandafinalreplybyKreps.
