Research
Research
Kahneman in Quotes and Reflections
(with Brett Buttliere, Alexios Arvanitis, Michał Białek, Shoham Choshen-Hillel, Shai Davidai, Thomas Gilovich, Uriel Haran, Qiao Kang Teo, Vojtech Kotrba, Chengwei Liu, David Mandel, Gordon Pennycook, Tobias R. Rebholz, Michael Schulte-Mecklenbeck, Norbert Schwarz, Zeev Shtudiner, Steven Sloman, Joakim Sundh, Cass Sunstein, Daniel Västfjäll and Mario Weick)
2024. Psychological Inquiry, 35(1), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2024.2366813
Do monetary incentives damage social esteem? An empirical framework to detect crowding-out potential for prosocial behaviours
(with Daniele Nosenzo and Silvia Sonderegger)
Status: Draft available upon request.
10-min video presentation (starts in min 3).
Abstract:
Monetary incentives sometimes backfire and "crowd out" prosocial behaviour. A standard explanation is that monetary incentives reduce the social esteem received from taking a prosocial action. However, because social esteem is not readily observable, there is a lack of direct empirical evidence confirming and measuring this mechanism. We propose a novel, portable, and incentive-compatible methodology to measure the social esteem received from prosocial behaviours. Our methodology is based on vignettes and incentivized second-order beliefs, and it provides a potential toolkit to identify when monetary incentives are more likely to backfire before implementing them. We run a high-powered pre-registered experiment with a UK sample (N = 5,368) within the context of COVID-19 vaccinations. Following our theoretical setup, we specifically focus on comparing (i) reward vs. penalty, (ii) small vs. large monetary incentives, and (iii) low vs. high baseline vaccination rates. We observe significant reduction in social esteem from monetary incentives, but only in the case of rewards. The size of the incentive and the baseline vaccination rate seem to matter little. Using our experimental results, we estimate how much an individual needs to value social esteem over money to be "crowded out" in our setup.
You might be underestimating how sustainable others are
(with Francesco Fallucchi, Philippe Van Kerm and Bertrand Verheyden)
Status: Manuscript in preparation.
This paper is part of a large-scale project called SOC2050. Here is a 3 min video presentation of the project findings, including those covered in this paper.
Abstract:
Household consumption is responsible for nearly three-quarters of global carbon emissions, particularly in high-income countries, yet sustained behavioral change remains challenging. Since misperceptions about others’ concern for climate change have been identified as key barriers to climate action, we study whether people also misperceive: (i) others’ level of sustainable behavior, (ii) the level of sustainable behavior others deem appropriate, and (iii) others’ support for policies that restrict or tax individual behavior. We address these questions in a well-powered, pre-registered online study with 1,292 Luxembourgers, using incentivized second-order belief elicitation. Participants reported their own behaviors, personal norms, and policy support, and estimated the same for others across the three most carbon-saving domains: consuming vegetarian meals, reducing home heating, and using public transportation. We find that participants systematically and substantially underestimate others’ sustainability across all areas and behavioral domains. Replicating previous studies, participants also underestimate how much others donate to offset carbon emissions in an incentivized donation task. Consistent with pluralistic ignorance, underestimations of behaviors and policy support are shared by both sustainable and unsustainable individuals, though not across all domains. Consistent with the false consensus effect, all underestimations are most pronounced among the least sustainable individuals, and underestimations of personal norms are exclusively driven by them. Finally, we show that social expectations strongly predict individuals’ sustainable behaviors, personal norms, and support for restrictive policies, underscoring the potential of correcting misperceptions to promote behavioral change.
Effectiveness of correcting misperceived social norms: A longitudinal experimental approach with sustainable behaviors and policy support
(with Francesco Fallucchi, Philippe Van Kerm and Bertrand Verheyden)
Status: Manuscript in preparation
This paper is part of a large-scale project called SOC2050. Here is a 3 min video presentation of the project findings, including those covered in this paper.
Abstract:
Misperceived social norms can impede progress toward sustainable behaviors and the policies that promote them. This study examines the potential of norm-based interventions to correct these misperceptions and foster lasting change in three key carbon-saving domains: vegetarian consumption, home heating, and public mobility. We conducted a three-wave longitudinal experiment over nine months with a well-powered Luxembourgish sample. After identifying systematic underestimations of others' sustainable behaviors, personal norms, and policy support, we designed two targeted interventions: one providing information about actual levels of sustainable behavior and personal norms, and the other about actual levels of policy support within our sample. Our interventions successfully increased sustainable behaviors and policy support, while also updating participants' personal norms. Heterogeneity analyses based on prior beliefs and behaviors show that these effects were driven by positive belief updating and upward behavioral adjustment toward the new perceived norm, with no evidence of behavioral backfiring. This suggests that norm-based interventions may be most effective in situations of pluralistic ignorance or false consensus effects. The strongest treatment effects emerged in the domain of vegetarian consumption and persisted for at least three months. However, participants were less responsive to norm corrections in public mobility. After ruling out three potential explanations, we conclude that norm corrections may be less effective for behaviors that are costlier to adopt. Finally, we show that interventions promoting sustainable behaviors and policy support can act as complements rather than substitutes.
Induced threat and gender norms
(with Sakshi Prasad)
Status: Preparing for data collection
Misperceptions and intergroup cooperation
(with Pierce Gately)
Status: Design stage
(with Bertrand Verheyden, Michel Tenikue, Philippe Van Kerm, Francesco Fallucchi and David Cristelo)
2024. Luxembourg Stratégie, Ministry of Economy.
The SOC2050 study, commissioned by Luxembourg Strategy and conducted by LISER from November 2022 to August 2023, assessed the citizens’ interest in transitioning society and the economy in Luxembourg towards greater resilience and sustainability. This initiative contributes to the United Nations Goal – Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG12).
This report describes the final results of the longitudinal online survey conducted in SOC2050. This study surveyed 912 individuals who participated in a three-wave study over 10 months and who provided rich information about their behaviours and attitudes toward sustainability. Four domains were selected for their major impact on sustainability and their carbon footprint: meat consumption, mobility patterns, home energy consumption, and the acceptance of financial sacrifices to reduce one’s carbon impact. The survey also collected in each wave participants’ support towards six hypothetical policies aimed at regulating or taxing unsustainable behaviours.