PUBLICATIONS
Stress or failure? An online experiment on the environmental determinants of choices; with Nicolai Vitt; Journal of the Economic Science Association (2024)
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; Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics (2024)
Maternal Stress During Pregnancy and Children’s Food Preferences; with Michèle Belot, Jonathan James and Nicolai Vitt; Nutrition (2022)
Local food and the environment in times of crisis: the impact of Covid-19; with Edward Jaenicke and Claudia Schmidt; Agribusiness (2022)
Daily stressors and Food Choices: A Lab Experiment with Low-SES Mothers; with Michèle Belot, Jonathan James and Nicolai Vitt; European Economic Review (2021)
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)
WORKING PAPERS
Effort Choices Amid Stress and Failures; with Nicolai Vitt; submitted
Motivation and performance are fundamental determinants of success in various spheres, from financial management to academic and professional achievements. These components of effort can be undermined by experiences of stress, which may impair cognitive abilities, and failure, which can diminish self-confidence. This study investigates the distinct and combined effects of acute stress and failure on decision-making regarding effort through a behavioural laboratory experiment. Participants are randomly assigned to stress and failure feedback conditions in a 2X2 two-session design. We assess participants’ effort motivation and performance in a real effort task, as well as their motivation in a cognitive task similar to the one inducing stress and failure feedback. Effort motivation is quantified by asking participants the minimum payment required to abstain from completing a piece-rate task. Results reveal a significant decrease in willingness to accept effort and subsequent effort exertion in real effort tasks following instances of failure. Conversely, acute stress does not exhibit a significant impact on effort-related choices.
Impact of Cognitive load on learning and bidding; with Andreas Drichoutis and Rodolfo M. Nayga; submitted
Cognitive load plays a critical role in decision-making processes, particularly in experimental auctions where precise judgment is crucial. While existing research has explored cognitive load and bidding behavior, the specific impacts of cognitive load on understanding auction mechanisms and value formation during bidding remain unclear. This study investigates these effects in a controlled experimental setting by manipulating cognitive load with a number-memorization task at different stages of the auction process. By varying the timing of cognitive load induction during the training phase, the bidding phase, and both phases, we examine whether cognitive load hinders understanding of auction mechanisms, impairs deliberation and boosts intuitive behavior during bidding, and the combined impact of these factors. Our findings indicate that cognitive load does not affect the overall level of misbidding. However, it significantly decreases the probability of bidding close to the induced value when imposed during the training phase, the bidding phase, and especially when imposed during both phases. These results suggest that cognitive load affects preferences and behavior by both hindering the understanding of the mechanism and impairing deliberation and clear thinking, emphasizing the importance of considering these effects when investigating cognitive load.
SELECTED WORK IN PROGRESS
Peer influence and gender in decision-making; with Veronica Rattini
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
Information, literacy, and food choices; with Linlin Fan, Edward Jaenicke and Yizao Liu
GRANTS
2023 - 2027 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture "Investigating the roles of nutrition information, nutrition literacy, and the updated nutrition facts label on dietary choices with experimental and market data"
CO-Principal Investigator. Principal Investigator: Yizao Liu ($647,142)
CO-Principal Investigator. Principal Investigator: Yizao Liu ($647,142)
2023 - 2026 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture "Opportunities for imperfect food: Analyzing preferences along the agri-food value chain"
Principal Investigator ($647,421)
Principal Investigator ($647,421)
2021 - 2023 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture "Investigating Mechanisms between Time Scarcity and Healthfulness of Food Choices Evidence from Scanner Data and Lab Experiments."
CO-Principal Investigator. Principal Investigator: Edward Jaenicke ($423,316)
CO-Principal Investigator. Principal Investigator: Edward Jaenicke ($423,316)
2021 - 2023 Social Science Research Institute - Penn State "Understanding the impact of online food advertisements and emotions on adolescents’ food choices."
Principal Investigator ($19,920)
Principal Investigator ($19,920)
2020 - 2021 Impacts of COVID-19 on Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Systems grant "The impact of Covid-19 on consumers’ attitudes towards local food and the environment."
Principal Investigator ($6,500)
Principal Investigator ($6,500)
