PUBLICATIONS
Groups and Socially Responsible Production: An Experiment with Farmers; Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization (2022)
Does corporate social responsibility decrease when corporate decisions are taken by several people instead of an individual entrepreneur? And if so, why? I study these questions in a lab-in the field experiment involving 126 Italian farmers. They are asked to choose between an ecological and non-ecological but more profitable product to use in their farm. To study the effect of collective decision making, I introduce two experimental variations in a 2x2 design: (i) the number of people responsible for the decision (one vs three) and (ii) the number of people receiving a payoff from the decision (one vs three). I find that collective payoff leads to less socially responsible decisions, possibly because it provides participants with the moral wiggle room to be less pro-social. On the other hand, sharing the responsibility of the decision with others does not change behaviour in this setting, meaning that there is no diffusion of responsibility, in contrast to what has been found in other laboratory experiments. To shed light on the external validity of my results, I find that my experimental measure of social responsibility correlates with measures of social responsibility outside the lab.
Does corporate social responsibility decrease when corporate decisions are taken by several people instead of an individual entrepreneur? And if so, why? I study these questions in a lab-in the field experiment involving 126 Italian farmers. They are asked to choose between an ecological and non-ecological but more profitable product to use in their farm. To study the effect of collective decision making, I introduce two experimental variations in a 2x2 design: (i) the number of people responsible for the decision (one vs three) and (ii) the number of people receiving a payoff from the decision (one vs three). I find that collective payoff leads to less socially responsible decisions, possibly because it provides participants with the moral wiggle room to be less pro-social. On the other hand, sharing the responsibility of the decision with others does not change behaviour in this setting, meaning that there is no diffusion of responsibility, in contrast to what has been found in other laboratory experiments. To shed light on the external validity of my results, I find that my experimental measure of social responsibility correlates with measures of social responsibility outside the lab.
Maternal Stress During Pregnancy and Children’s Food Preferences; with Michèle Belot, Jonathan James and Nicolai Vitt; Nutrition (2022)
Using data collected from 213 low-income mothers in the UK, we examine the relationship between chronic stress during pregnancy and children’s food preferences and diet. Maternal stress during pregnancy is found to significantly affect children’s food and taste preferences as well as their diet, even after controlling for maternal diet, current maternal stress and demographics of child and mother. Higher average stress during pregnancy is linked with food preferences and a diet that are significantly less healthy, and with weaker preferences for sour and bitter foods.
Using data collected from 213 low-income mothers in the UK, we examine the relationship between chronic stress during pregnancy and children’s food preferences and diet. Maternal stress during pregnancy is found to significantly affect children’s food and taste preferences as well as their diet, even after controlling for maternal diet, current maternal stress and demographics of child and mother. Higher average stress during pregnancy is linked with food preferences and a diet that are significantly less healthy, and with weaker preferences for sour and bitter foods.
Local food and the environment in times of crisis: the impact of Covid-19; with Edward Jaenicke and Claudia Schmidt; Agribusiness (2022)
Using an online survey experiment and a sample of 1,650 participants from the Mid-Atlantic region in the U.S., we investigate the effects of COVID-19 and two reinforcing primes on preferences for local food and donations to support farmers, farmers markets, and a food-relief program. At the beginning of the survey, we induce a subset of participants to think about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on either their personal life, finances, and health or on their local community and its members. Both primes increase participants’ levels of anxiety and slightly reduce their sense of community. Additionally, both primes significantly decrease the hypothetical price premium participants are willing to pay for local food, i.e., both for fruits and vegetables and for meat products. The primes do not significantly affect the amount donated to charitable organizations, except when controlling for participants’ own experiences with COVID-19. While priming increases donations for some participants, it decreases donations for those with a “strong” COVID-19 experience, especially for the food relief program.
Using an online survey experiment and a sample of 1,650 participants from the Mid-Atlantic region in the U.S., we investigate the effects of COVID-19 and two reinforcing primes on preferences for local food and donations to support farmers, farmers markets, and a food-relief program. At the beginning of the survey, we induce a subset of participants to think about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on either their personal life, finances, and health or on their local community and its members. Both primes increase participants’ levels of anxiety and slightly reduce their sense of community. Additionally, both primes significantly decrease the hypothetical price premium participants are willing to pay for local food, i.e., both for fruits and vegetables and for meat products. The primes do not significantly affect the amount donated to charitable organizations, except when controlling for participants’ own experiences with COVID-19. While priming increases donations for some participants, it decreases donations for those with a “strong” COVID-19 experience, especially for the food relief program.
Daily stressors and Food Choices: A Lab Experiment with Low-SES Mothers; with Michèle Belot, Jonathan James and Nicolai Vitt; European Economic Review (2021)
We investigate experimentally the effects of daily-like stressors on immediate and planned food choices, in a sample of low socioeconomic status (SES) mothers. We design a novel stress protocol that aims to mimic everyday stressors experienced by low socioeconomic status individuals. The protocol consists of budget and time allocation tasks to be performed under time and financial pressure. Immediate consumption is measured with in-laboratory consumption of low calorie and high calorie snacks; planned consumption is measured with an incentivized food shopping task. We find no evidence of a significant effect of the stressor on planned food consumption. We do find a notable increase in high-calorie snacking following the stress protocol but it is not precisely estimated. Overall, we find little support for the hypothesis that daily-life stressors induce unhealthy food choices.
We investigate experimentally the effects of daily-like stressors on immediate and planned food choices, in a sample of low socioeconomic status (SES) mothers. We design a novel stress protocol that aims to mimic everyday stressors experienced by low socioeconomic status individuals. The protocol consists of budget and time allocation tasks to be performed under time and financial pressure. Immediate consumption is measured with in-laboratory consumption of low calorie and high calorie snacks; planned consumption is measured with an incentivized food shopping task. We find no evidence of a significant effect of the stressor on planned food consumption. We do find a notable increase in high-calorie snacking following the stress protocol but it is not precisely estimated. Overall, we find little support for the hypothesis that daily-life stressors induce unhealthy food choices.
Rewarding behavior with a sweet food strengthens its valuation; with Jan Michael Bauer, Michèle Belot, Marina Schröder, Tina Bake, Suzanne L. Dickson; Plos One (2021)
Sweet foods are commonly used as rewards for desirable behavior, specifically among children. This study examines whether such practice may contribute to reinforce the valuation of these foods. Two experiments were conducted, one with children, the other with rats. The first study, conducted with first graders (n = 214), shows that children who receive a food reward for performing a cognitive task subsequently value the food more compared to a control group who received the same food without performing any task. The second study, conducted on rats (n = 64), shows that rewarding with food also translates into higher calorie intake over a 24-hour period. These results suggest that the common practice of rewarding children with calorie-dense sweet foods is a plausible contributing factor to obesity and might therefore be ill advised.
Sweet foods are commonly used as rewards for desirable behavior, specifically among children. This study examines whether such practice may contribute to reinforce the valuation of these foods. Two experiments were conducted, one with children, the other with rats. The first study, conducted with first graders (n = 214), shows that children who receive a food reward for performing a cognitive task subsequently value the food more compared to a control group who received the same food without performing any task. The second study, conducted on rats (n = 64), shows that rewarding with food also translates into higher calorie intake over a 24-hour period. These results suggest that the common practice of rewarding children with calorie-dense sweet foods is a plausible contributing factor to obesity and might therefore be ill advised.
WORKING PAPERS
Stress or failure? An online experiment on the environmental determinants of choices; with Nicolai Vitt (under review)
Are economic decisions affected by short-term stress, failure or both? We develop and validate a novel experimental protocol to examine the individual and combined influences of stress, failure, and success. The protocol employs a 2x3 experimental design in two sessions and can be used online or in laboratory studies to analyse the impact of these factors on decision making and behaviour. To introduce experimental variation in participants’ stress levels, participants complete an incentivized cognitive task aimed at inducing mild stress, either at the beginning of the first or the second session. The incentive structure for the stress task involves a penalty if they perform below an unknown threshold. In the second session participants are randomly assigned to receive either no feedback, feedback with a low threshold level (success condition) or feedback with a high threshold level (failure condition). We validate the protocol in an online experiment with 269 participants. The stress protocol was perceived as significantly more stressful than a control task, and it induced a sizeable and significant rise in state anxiety. The provision of negative feedback (“failure”) significantly lowered participants’ assessment of their performance, induced feelings of failure and raised state anxiety.
Are economic decisions affected by short-term stress, failure or both? We develop and validate a novel experimental protocol to examine the individual and combined influences of stress, failure, and success. The protocol employs a 2x3 experimental design in two sessions and can be used online or in laboratory studies to analyse the impact of these factors on decision making and behaviour. To introduce experimental variation in participants’ stress levels, participants complete an incentivized cognitive task aimed at inducing mild stress, either at the beginning of the first or the second session. The incentive structure for the stress task involves a penalty if they perform below an unknown threshold. In the second session participants are randomly assigned to receive either no feedback, feedback with a low threshold level (success condition) or feedback with a high threshold level (failure condition). We validate the protocol in an online experiment with 269 participants. The stress protocol was perceived as significantly more stressful than a control task, and it induced a sizeable and significant rise in state anxiety. The provision of negative feedback (“failure”) significantly lowered participants’ assessment of their performance, induced feelings of failure and raised state anxiety.
Understanding the Impact of Online Food Advertisements and Emotions on Adolescents’ Food Choices, with Linlin Fan, Kathleen L. Keller, Sarah Myruski, Rodolfo M. Nayga and Wei Yang (resubmitted)
Adolescence is a critical period for future health outcomes. Food habits and cognitive development are underway, and it is a period of heightened sensitivity to external influences and emotional shifts. We experimentally test the individual and combined influence of food advertisements and emotional primes (i.e., positive, negative, neutral) on adolescent food choices. Participants completed a food choice task selecting five snacks out of twenty healthy and unhealthy options in an online experiment. Prior to the food choice, we randomized whether adolescents were exposed to unhealthy food or non-food online advertisements. To induce experimental variation in adolescents’ emotions, they were assigned to watch two, two-minute film clips validated to elicit the targeted emotion. The online food advertisement did not significantly impact food choices, except that Black and Hispanic groups selected a higher share of calories from unhealthy foods. Participants in a negative emotional state selected more unhealthy sweet snacks. Finally, we find only weak evidence that a positive emotional state amplified the impact of food advertisements on the nutritional quality of food selection. Together, results suggest that while a negative emotional state drives food choices, this pattern occurs independently from food advertisement exposure.
Adolescence is a critical period for future health outcomes. Food habits and cognitive development are underway, and it is a period of heightened sensitivity to external influences and emotional shifts. We experimentally test the individual and combined influence of food advertisements and emotional primes (i.e., positive, negative, neutral) on adolescent food choices. Participants completed a food choice task selecting five snacks out of twenty healthy and unhealthy options in an online experiment. Prior to the food choice, we randomized whether adolescents were exposed to unhealthy food or non-food online advertisements. To induce experimental variation in adolescents’ emotions, they were assigned to watch two, two-minute film clips validated to elicit the targeted emotion. The online food advertisement did not significantly impact food choices, except that Black and Hispanic groups selected a higher share of calories from unhealthy foods. Participants in a negative emotional state selected more unhealthy sweet snacks. Finally, we find only weak evidence that a positive emotional state amplified the impact of food advertisements on the nutritional quality of food selection. Together, results suggest that while a negative emotional state drives food choices, this pattern occurs independently from food advertisement exposure.
SELECTED WORK IN PROGRESS
Impact of Cognitive load on learning and bidding; with Andreas Drichoutis and Rodolfo M. Nayga
Investigating Mechanisms Between Time Scarcity And Healthfulness Of Food Choices; with Linlin Fan, Edward Jaenicke and Yizao Liu
Labeling “Ugly Produce” in Processed Foods; with Aaron Enriquez, Maria H. Kalaitzandonakes, Carola Grebitus, Grace Tione and Yizao Liu
