Research Papers

Remote-learning, Time-Use, and Mental Health of Ecuadorian High-School Students during the COVID-19 Quarantine
with Francisco Flores  (University of Kassel) , David McKenzie (World Bank), Mona Mensmann (Warwick Business School), Mathis Schulte (HEC Paris)

​The COVID-19 pandemic has closed schools around the world, forcing school systems and students to quickly attempt remote learning. A rapid response phone survey of over 1,500 high school students aged 14 to 18 in Ecuador was conducted to learn how students spend their time during the period of quarantine, examine their access to remote learning, and measure their mental health status. The data show that 59 percent of students have both an internet connection at home and a computer or tablet, 74 percent are engaging in some online or telelearning, and 86 percent have done some schoolwork on the last weekday. Detailed time-use data show most students have established similar daily routines around education, although gender and wealth differences emerge in time spent working and on household tasks. Closure of schools and social isolation are the two main problems students say they face, and while the majority are mostly happy, 16 percent have mental health scores that indicate depression.
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Aprendizaje remoto, Uso de Tiempo, y Salud Mental de Estudiantes Ecuatorianos de secundaria durante la Cuarentena COVID-19
con Francisco Flores  (University of Kassel) , David McKenzie (World Bank), Mona Mensmann (Warwick Business School), Mathis Schulte (HEC Paris)

La pandemia de COVID-19 ha cerrado escuelas en todo el mundo, obligando a los sistemas escolares y a los estudiantes a intentar rápidamente el aprendizaje remoto. Realizamos una encuesta telefónica de respuesta rápida a más de 1,500 estudiantes de secundaria de 14 a 18 años de edad en Ecuador para conocer cómo pasan su tiempo durante el período de cuarentena, examinar su acceso al aprendizaje remoto y medir su estado de salud mental. Encontramos que el 59 por ciento de los estudiantes tiene conexión a Internet en casa y un computador o tableta, el 74 por ciento está participando en algún curso o aprendizaje en línea, y el 86 por ciento ha realizado algunas tareas escolares el último día de la semana. El detalle de datos sobre el uso del tiempo muestra que la mayoría de los estudiantes han establecido rutinas diarias similares en torno a la educación, aunque el género y la inequidad económica influyen en el tiempo que se dedica al trabajo escolar y a las tareas del hogar. El cierre de las escuelas y el aislamiento social son los dos problemas principales que los estudiantes dicen enfrentar, y si bien la mayoría está contenta, el 16 por ciento tiene puntajes de salud mental que indican depresión.
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​Folktale Narratives and Economic Behavior
with Dominik P. Heinisch, Nhat Luong  (University of Kassel) 

​Narratives – stories – prevail in social life, however little is known about their relation to economic behavior and outcomes. We shed light on this issue by studying the association between folktales’ motifs and economic behavior across the world. First, we explore possible relations between the prevalence of narratives and the observed behavior in economic experiments by connecting the Berezkin (2015) collection of narratives with individual choices in experiments performed across the world. Second, we construct a motif distance index that approximates the cultural distance between countries. Third, we provide evidence that motif distance is associated with economic performance.
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Do We Learn From Mistakes of Others? A Test of Observational Learning in the Bandit Problem.

Abstract: I experimentally investigate observational (social) learning in the simple two-armed bandit framework where the models based on Bayesian reasoning and non-Bayesian reasoning (count heuristics) have different predictions. The results contradict the predictions of the Bayesian rationality e.g. Bayesian Nash Equilibrium, Naıve herding model (BRTNI): Subjects follow the choices that contain no information about the state of the world, follow the coinciding choices of others (though it is empirically suboptimal), sustain losses making every first choice and cascade earlier than Bayesian-based models predict, but not in a random way. In addition, the Quantal Response Equilibrium is tested and the robustness of the theory questioned.
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Short- and Long-run Effects of External Interventions on Trust. 
with Simone Vannuccini  (FSU-Jena) 

Abstract: We experimentally analyze the effects of external intervention such as subsidy and targeting on the investment decision during the intervention and after. We employ a multi-period version of the trust (investment) game (Berg et al., 1995) introducing either a monetary incentives for contribution or providing a suggestion about the level of investment. The results of the experiment indicate  that targeting is an effective instrument to promote trustful behavior, whereas subsidy policy is not effective both in short- and long-run.  Therefore  we suggest considering a targeting policy as one of the instruments that can foster trustful behavior. 
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 On the observational learning in the optimal stopping problem.
with Arno Riedl  (Maastricht University)

Abstract: We experimentally test the theoretical predictions about observational learning in case of the optimal stopping problem with publicly observable behavior but privately observable payoffs. The paper focuses on the two-agents two-arms bandit framework and follows the theoretical analysis of Rosenberg et al. (2007).  Rational behavior in the framework implies solving a non-trivial optimization task. That raises the question whether people act according to the theoretical predictions. We find evidence that subjects overreact on thier own outcomes and comply with the choices of others.
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Confidence, Confidence Training and Entrepreneurial Behavior: Field Experiment.​
with Alla Levitskaia (Comrat State University)

Abstract: ​We provide a field experiment to study the effect of  an entrepreneurial program in Gagauzia region, Moldova. We randomly assign applicants for the entrepreneurship training to three educational tracks: (1) Business and confidence training; (2) Confidence training; (3) No training (control group). To understand underlying behavioral mechanisms of the intervention we elicit in the lab-in-field experiment participants'  behavioral characteristics. We find that confidence and ambiguity preference, but not risk preferences or self-efficacy,  associated with entrepreneurial behavior. We also find that a combination of business and confidence training affect an entrepreneurial related decision.​
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Is Self-employment a Career Trap? Large-Scale Field Experiment in the Labor market
with Maria Mavlikeeva (University of Kassel)

Abstract: ​We provide a large-scale correspondence experiment by sending more than 12 000 fictitious resumes in Russia to assess treatment of self-employed at the labor market.  Our study is the first correspondence experiment in Russia (Bertrand and Duflo, 2017).  Thus, to ensure validity of the experiment in the new context, we, also, assess discrimination against ethnic minorities. We find that the level of ethnic discrimination in Russia is comparable to the world average (Zschirnt and Ruedin, 2016). More importantly, we find discrimination against self-employed. However, we observe discrimination against self-employed at the low-skill market but not on the high-skill level market.  Those results go in lines with statistical form of discrimination of self-employed. 
 
This study is registered in the AEA RCT Registry and the unique identifying number is AEARCTR-0001308.

Work in Progress

Showing Life Opportunities: Increasing Opportunity-Driven Entrepreneurship and STEM Careers Through Online Courses In Schools.​
with Thomas Åstebro (HEC Paris), Guido Buenstorf ( University of Kassel); Bruno Crepón (ENSAE and École Polytechnique);  Diego d'Andria (JRC European Commission), Francisco Flores (University of Kassel), David McKenzie (World Bank); Mona Mensmann  (Warwick Business School); Mathis Schulte (HEC Paris)

Abstract: ​We  provide an RCT to assess the effect of online courses in schools on intentions, career-related actions, and career choices to become an opportunity driven entrepreneur or choose a STEM type of education. We plan to work with to 15-17-year-old students (about 17,000 students) in 110 schools. We will randomly assign schools either to treatment (and receiving the entrepreneurship and science content online), or placebo-control (receiving a placebo treatment of online courses from standard curricula) groups. Within the treatment group, we randomize at the grade-level the type of entrepreneurship curricula, and then randomize the order of entrepreneurship and science courses to measure the short-term effects of each component and to mitigate order effects. In addition, we cross-randomize schools to a role model treatment of interviews with successful scientists and entrepreneurs. In addition, we provide information about career options. We then plan to follow subjects until (at least) age 19, to measure both short- and medium-term outcomes. 

This study is registered in the AEA RCT Registry and the unique identifying number is AEARCTR-0003593






















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