Why (field) experiments on unethical behavior are important: Comparing stated and revealed behavior

Submitted by Mark Senanu Ku… on

Understanding unethical behavior is essential to many phenomena in the real world. We carry out a field experiment in a unique setting that varies the levels of reciprocity and guilt in an ethical decision. A survey more than one year before the field experiment allows us to compare at the individual level stated unethical behavior with revealed behavior in the same situation in the field. Our results indicate a strong discrepancy between stated and revealed behavior, regardless of the specific treatment in the field experiment.

Mind training, stress and behaviour—A randomised experiment

Submitted by Mark Senanu Ku… on
EfD Authors:

In this paper, we evaluate the effects of a psychological training, called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on stress and risk and time preferences. MBSR is a well-known psychological technique, which is believed to improve self-control and reduce stress. We conduct the experiment with 139 participants, half of whom receive the MBSR training, while the other half are asked to watch a documentary series, both over 4 consecutive weeks.

Decisions and mechanisms of intergroup bias in children's third‐party punishment

Submitted by Mark Senanu Ku… on
EfD Authors:

AbstractChildren tend to punish norm transgressions, even when they are mere external observers—a phenomenon known as Third‐Party Punishment (TPP). This behavior is influenced by intergroup bias, as children unevenly punish ingroup and outgroup members. Here, we explored the influence of intergroup bias in TPP decisions in children between six and 11 years of age (N = 124) using costly versus non‐costly decisions while measuring response times as a proxy of the mechanisms underlying intergroup bias in TPP.

Metrics for environmental compensation: A comparative analysis of Swedish municipalities

Submitted by Mark Senanu Ku… on
EfD Authors:

Environmental compensation (EC) aims at addressing environmental losses due to development projects and involves a need to compare development losses with compensation gains using relevant metrics. A conceptual procedure for computing no net loss is formulated and used as a point of departure for a comparative analysis of metrics used by five Swedish municipalities as a part of their EC implementation in the spatial planning context of detailed development plans.

Climate Change, Land

Blow the Lid Off: Public Complaints, Bargaining Power and Government Responsiveness on Social Media

Submitted by Petra Hansson on

Key Points

  • Local governments in China are increasingly responsive to citizen complaints concerning environmental issues via social media.
  • In less developed and manufacturing-dependent regions, local governments are less likely to respond to public complaints against local industrial giants.
  • As higher levels of government pay more attention to online complaints, the government's response rate increases.

Summary

Behavioral Economics – Policy Impact and Future Directions

Submitted by Petra Hansson on

Behavioral economics - a field based in collaborations among economists and psychologists - focuses on integrating a nuanced understanding of behavior into models of decision-making. Since the mid-20th century, this growing field has produced research in numerous domains and has influenced policymaking, research, and marketing. However, little has been done to assess these contributions and review evidence of their use in the policy arena.

Policy Design