Ben D’Exelle is a professor of economics at the University of East Anglia. Most of his research aims to improve our understanding of individual behaviour and decision-making, and how this is influenced by social interaction within households and communities. He applies this to a variety of domains, such as health, development, labour, gender, environment, and agriculture. Most of his research is conducted in low- and middle-income countries, driven by the need to develop more effective policies that tackle the most urgent problems in these countries. He makes ample use of experiments, either in the form of randomized control trials, or lab experiments conducted online, in computer labs or in the field. He has completed projects in Uganda, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Peru, and is involved in new projects in Bangladesh, Ivory Coast, and the Dominican Republic. In recent work, he is studying the impact of climate shocks on the prevalence of intimate partner violence using global climate data and surveys from 70+ countries.
Ben D’Exelle
Professor of Economics
Selected Publications
Other
Selected Publications
Other
2025
Clist, Paul; Verschoor, Arjan; D’Exelle, Ben
Risk Taking With Social Consequences Journal Article
In: Journal of Development Studies, 2025, ISSN: 0022-0388.
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title = {Risk Taking With Social Consequences},
author = {Paul Clist and Arjan Verschoor and Ben D'Exelle},
issn = {0022-0388},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-02-03},
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2024
Fuhrmann-Riebel, Hanna; D’Exelle, Ben; Vargas, Kristian Lopez; Tonke, Sebastian; Verschoor, Arjan
Correcting misperceptions about trends and norms to address weak collective action – Experimental evidence from a recycling program Journal Article
In: Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, vol. 128, 2024, ISSN: 0095-0696, (Funding information: This research was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), and the University of East Anglia, UK (UEA GCRF Rapid Response Fund).).
@article{c20c38218b814d0c862a6f97881d2795,
title = {Correcting misperceptions about trends and norms to address weak collective action – Experimental evidence from a recycling program},
author = {Hanna Fuhrmann-Riebel and Ben D'Exelle and Kristian Lopez Vargas and Sebastian Tonke and Arjan Verschoor},
doi = {10.1016/j.jeem.2024.103046},
issn = {0095-0696},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-11-01},
journal = {Journal of Environmental Economics and Management},
volume = {128},
publisher = {Academic Press Inc.},
abstract = {Finding ways to encourage collective action in contexts where only a minority adopts the desired behavior is central to solving many of today’s global environmental problems. We study how correcting people’s beliefs about social norms and behavioral trends encourages collective action in a setting where the desired behavior is not yet prevalent. In a field experiment, we test whether low sign-up rates for a recycling program in urban Peru can be increased by providing information (1) that most people regard participation in the program as important, i.e., on the “injunctive norm”, (2) on an increasing recent trend in sign-up rates. We find that the effectiveness of the treatments depends on people’s prior beliefs: Correcting inaccurate beliefs increases sign-up decisions significantly among people who either substantially underestimate the injunctive norm or who underestimate the positive trend. As this sub-group of people is in the minority in our set-up, we do not observe statistically significant average treatment effects. We further find that the effects of the treatments increase in the level of underestimation. Our evidence demonstrates that belief updating can be used effectively to encourage collective action where it is weak as long as a meaningful number of people underestimates the relevant trends and norms.},
note = {Funding information: This research was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), and the University of East Anglia, UK (UEA GCRF Rapid Response Fund).},
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Finding ways to encourage collective action in contexts where only a minority adopts the desired behavior is central to solving many of today’s global environmental problems. We study how correcting people’s beliefs about social norms and behavioral trends encourages collective action in a setting where the desired behavior is not yet prevalent. In a field experiment, we test whether low sign-up rates for a recycling program in urban Peru can be increased by providing information (1) that most people regard participation in the program as important, i.e., on the “injunctive norm”, (2) on an increasing recent trend in sign-up rates. We find that the effectiveness of the treatments depends on people’s prior beliefs: Correcting inaccurate beliefs increases sign-up decisions significantly among people who either substantially underestimate the injunctive norm or who underestimate the positive trend. As this sub-group of people is in the minority in our set-up, we do not observe statistically significant average treatment effects. We further find that the effects of the treatments increase in the level of underestimation. Our evidence demonstrates that belief updating can be used effectively to encourage collective action where it is weak as long as a meaningful number of people underestimates the relevant trends and norms.
D’Exelle, Ben; Habraken, Rik; Verschoor, Arjan
Effort and social comparison: Experimental evidence from Uganda Journal Article
In: Economic Development and Cultural Change, vol. 72, no. 4, pp. 1769–1793, 2024, ISSN: 0013-0079, (Data availability statement: Data are provided through Dataverse at https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/ZHGUDU. Funding information: Rik Habraken acknowledges financial support from the University of East Anglia, where he was based when the work presented in the paper was carried out.).
@article{265db8ac59b14ebf96a153db91ac0742,
title = {Effort and social comparison: Experimental evidence from Uganda},
author = {Ben D'Exelle and Rik Habraken and Arjan Verschoor},
doi = {10.1086/725231},
issn = {0013-0079},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-07-01},
journal = {Economic Development and Cultural Change},
volume = {72},
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pages = {1769–1793},
publisher = {University of Chicago},
abstract = {Individual effort is key to generate income and escape from poverty. In small-scale societies in developing countries, where effort and resulting income are easily observable, social comparison can influence effort in both positive and negative ways. In addition, the effects of social comparison are less obvious where income depends on both the quality and quantity of production. To study the effects of social comparison, we use a lab experiment in which participants conduct a real-effort task characterized by a quantity-quality trade-off. We experimentally vary (1) whether feedback is provided about peers’ performance and (2) whether one can reduce peers’ earnings by so-called money burning. We find that feedback about peers’ performance increases the earnings of low performers as they shift effort from quantity to quality. High performers shift effort to quality only when they are targeted by money burning. Given the different response of low and high performers, the provision of feedback about peers’ performance reduces inequality in earnings but not when money burning is an option. Anticipating these social-comparison effects can help policymakers who work with groups or communities to optimize policy design.},
note = {Data availability statement: Data are provided through Dataverse at https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/ZHGUDU. Funding information: Rik Habraken acknowledges financial support from the University of East Anglia, where he was based when the work presented in the paper was carried out.},
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Individual effort is key to generate income and escape from poverty. In small-scale societies in developing countries, where effort and resulting income are easily observable, social comparison can influence effort in both positive and negative ways. In addition, the effects of social comparison are less obvious where income depends on both the quality and quantity of production. To study the effects of social comparison, we use a lab experiment in which participants conduct a real-effort task characterized by a quantity-quality trade-off. We experimentally vary (1) whether feedback is provided about peers’ performance and (2) whether one can reduce peers’ earnings by so-called money burning. We find that feedback about peers’ performance increases the earnings of low performers as they shift effort from quantity to quality. High performers shift effort to quality only when they are targeted by money burning. Given the different response of low and high performers, the provision of feedback about peers’ performance reduces inequality in earnings but not when money burning is an option. Anticipating these social-comparison effects can help policymakers who work with groups or communities to optimize policy design.
D’Exelle, Ben; Munro, Alistair; Verschoor, Arjan
Agricultural investment behaviour and contingency: Experimental evidence from Uganda Journal Article
In: World Development, vol. 173, 2024, ISSN: 0305-750X, (Acknowledgements: The research documented in this paper was financed by ESRC-DFID, UK grant ES/J008893/1. Some of Alistair Munro’s expenses were supported by JSPS, Japan KAKENHI Grant Number 25101002 . Ethical clearance for the study was obtained from the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) with research registration number SS2806, and from the University of East Anglia. We thank Joshua Balungira and his team at The Field Lab for support with the fieldwork and Borja Perez Viana for research assistance. We thank participants at seminars at UEA, ISS (The Hague), University of Manchester, Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi), the Institute of Dalit Studies (New Delhi), and SEEDEC Wageningen for their comments. Data availability: Data will be made available on request.).
@article{89ca4be28eb9465cb11650acfd037d19,
title = {Agricultural investment behaviour and contingency: Experimental evidence from Uganda},
author = {Ben D'Exelle and Alistair Munro and Arjan Verschoor},
doi = {10.1016/j.worlddev.2023.106427},
issn = {0305-750X},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
journal = {World Development},
volume = {173},
publisher = {Elsevier},
abstract = {Underinvestment in agriculture – a major cause of rural poverty – may be due to difficulties in detecting ‘contingency’, defined as the influence one may exert on the outcome of a decision-making situation. Recently experienced contingency may create a mismatch between perceived and actual contingency in an investment decision-making situation, leading to sub-optimal investment behaviour. To test this, we use an experiment with poor farmers in Uganda used to low levels of contingency, as many factors (e.g., the weather, pests, price fluctuations) obscure the link between farm investment and outcomes. We find that in situations in which some contingency is present, investment levels respond positively to recently experienced contingency. In situations in which no contingency is present (‘non-contingency’), investment responds negatively to recently experienced non-contingency. The findings that perceived contingency influences investment behaviour, and perceived contingency can be readily changed, may inform new behavioural policies to promote agricultural investment.},
note = {Acknowledgements: The research documented in this paper was financed by ESRC-DFID, UK grant ES/J008893/1. Some of Alistair Munro’s expenses were supported by JSPS, Japan KAKENHI Grant Number 25101002 . Ethical clearance for the study was obtained from the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) with research registration number SS2806, and from the University of East Anglia. We thank Joshua Balungira and his team at The Field Lab for support with the fieldwork and Borja Perez Viana for research assistance. We thank participants at seminars at UEA, ISS (The Hague), University of Manchester, Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi), the Institute of Dalit Studies (New Delhi), and SEEDEC Wageningen for their comments. Data availability: Data will be made available on request.},
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Underinvestment in agriculture – a major cause of rural poverty – may be due to difficulties in detecting ‘contingency’, defined as the influence one may exert on the outcome of a decision-making situation. Recently experienced contingency may create a mismatch between perceived and actual contingency in an investment decision-making situation, leading to sub-optimal investment behaviour. To test this, we use an experiment with poor farmers in Uganda used to low levels of contingency, as many factors (e.g., the weather, pests, price fluctuations) obscure the link between farm investment and outcomes. We find that in situations in which some contingency is present, investment levels respond positively to recently experienced contingency. In situations in which no contingency is present (‘non-contingency’), investment responds negatively to recently experienced non-contingency. The findings that perceived contingency influences investment behaviour, and perceived contingency can be readily changed, may inform new behavioural policies to promote agricultural investment.
2023
D’Exelle, Ben; Habraken, Rik; Verschoor, Arjan
What should I aspire to? Peer effects in adolescents’ friendship networks Journal Article
In: Economic Development and Cultural Change, vol. 72, no. 1, pp. 27–78, 2023, ISSN: 0013-0079.
@article{26a33377f939476a987a14f238de29b3,
title = {What should I aspire to? Peer effects in adolescents’ friendship networks},
author = {Ben D'Exelle and Rik Habraken and Arjan Verschoor},
doi = {10.1086/720543},
issn = {0013-0079},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-10-01},
journal = {Economic Development and Cultural Change},
volume = {72},
number = {1},
pages = {27–78},
publisher = {University of Chicago},
abstract = {In sub-Saharan Africa, economic aspirations often conflict with aspirations to follow traditional social obligations. We test whether adolescents are influenced by friends when deciding which to prioritize. To do so, we elicit the preferences and perceived competition between economic and social aspirations of 553 Ugandan students, as well as their friendship ties. Using characteristics of nonoverlapping friends as instrumental variables, we identify strong peer effects. They are stronger with more interaction among friends, or when the information shared is more relevant or more important relative to other signals. We find no peer effect on the perceived competition between aspirations.},
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In sub-Saharan Africa, economic aspirations often conflict with aspirations to follow traditional social obligations. We test whether adolescents are influenced by friends when deciding which to prioritize. To do so, we elicit the preferences and perceived competition between economic and social aspirations of 553 Ugandan students, as well as their friendship ties. Using characteristics of nonoverlapping friends as instrumental variables, we identify strong peer effects. They are stronger with more interaction among friends, or when the information shared is more relevant or more important relative to other signals. We find no peer effect on the perceived competition between aspirations.
D’Exelle, Ben; Verschoor, Arjan
Village networks and entrepreneurial farming in Uganda Journal Article
In: World Development, vol. 167, 2023, ISSN: 0305-750X.
@article{81a293bd4f9b45b0a3fdcf97d423faad,
title = {Village networks and entrepreneurial farming in Uganda},
author = {Ben D'Exelle and Arjan Verschoor},
doi = {10.1016/j.worlddev.2023.106241},
issn = {0305-750X},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-07-01},
journal = {World Development},
volume = {167},
publisher = {Elsevier},
abstract = {The transition from semi-subsistence farming to more entrepreneurial farming by the adoption of new crops or improved seeds is important for poverty reduction in developing countries. In rural societies, farmers’ propensity to experiment with new technologies is influenced by their access to information and support, provided by networks of friends and relatives. Considering that the same connection can share both information and support, we study the separate effects as well as the interaction of both network functions. Using two waves of data from a sample of Ugandan farmers, we find that the propensity to adopt new crops or improved seeds increases with the number of friends or relatives who adopted new crops or improved seeds before. The effect on the adoption of new crops is stronger if the same friends or relatives also provide support in the form of gifts or loans. At the same time, we find a positive effect of support that is conditional on friends or relatives having adopted new crops before.},
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The transition from semi-subsistence farming to more entrepreneurial farming by the adoption of new crops or improved seeds is important for poverty reduction in developing countries. In rural societies, farmers’ propensity to experiment with new technologies is influenced by their access to information and support, provided by networks of friends and relatives. Considering that the same connection can share both information and support, we study the separate effects as well as the interaction of both network functions. Using two waves of data from a sample of Ugandan farmers, we find that the propensity to adopt new crops or improved seeds increases with the number of friends or relatives who adopted new crops or improved seeds before. The effect on the adoption of new crops is stronger if the same friends or relatives also provide support in the form of gifts or loans. At the same time, we find a positive effect of support that is conditional on friends or relatives having adopted new crops before.
2022
Verschoor, Arjan; D’Exelle, Ben
Probability weighting for losses and for gains among smallholder farmers in Uganda Journal Article
In: Theory and Decision, vol. 92, pp. 223–258, 2022, ISSN: 0040-5833.
@article{33aacd168a9842a989ab87507179baf4,
title = {Probability weighting for losses and for gains among smallholder farmers in Uganda},
author = {Arjan Verschoor and Ben D'Exelle},
doi = {10.1007/s11238-020-09796-8},
issn = {0040-5833},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-02-01},
journal = {Theory and Decision},
volume = {92},
pages = {223–258},
publisher = {Springer},
abstract = {Probability weighting is a marked feature of decision-making under risk. For poor people in rural areas of developing countries, how probabilities are evaluated matters for livelihoods decisions, especially the probabilities associated with losses. Previous studies of risky choice among poor people in developing countries seldom consider losses and do not offer a refined tracking of the probability-weighting function (PWF). We investigate probability weighting among smallholder farmers in Uganda, separately for losses and for gains, using a method (common consequence ladders) that allows refined tracking of the PWF for a population with low levels of literacy. For losses, we find marked probability weighting near zero, which is in line with evidence found in Western labs. For gains, the absence of probability weighting is remarkable, particularly its absence near 100%. We also find marked differences in probability weighting for traditional farmers which are in line with the observed livelihoods strategies in the study area.},
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Probability weighting is a marked feature of decision-making under risk. For poor people in rural areas of developing countries, how probabilities are evaluated matters for livelihoods decisions, especially the probabilities associated with losses. Previous studies of risky choice among poor people in developing countries seldom consider losses and do not offer a refined tracking of the probability-weighting function (PWF). We investigate probability weighting among smallholder farmers in Uganda, separately for losses and for gains, using a method (common consequence ladders) that allows refined tracking of the PWF for a population with low levels of literacy. For losses, we find marked probability weighting near zero, which is in line with evidence found in Western labs. For gains, the absence of probability weighting is remarkable, particularly its absence near 100%. We also find marked differences in probability weighting for traditional farmers which are in line with the observed livelihoods strategies in the study area.
2021
Clist, Paul; Verschoor, Arjan; D’Exelle, Ben
An endowment effect for risk levels: Evidence from a Ugandan lab Journal Article
In: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, vol. 182, pp. 297–310, 2021, ISSN: 0167-2681.
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title = {An endowment effect for risk levels: Evidence from a Ugandan lab},
author = {Paul Clist and Arjan Verschoor and Ben D'Exelle},
doi = {10.1016/j.jebo.2020.12.013},
issn = {0167-2681},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-02-01},
journal = {Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization},
volume = {182},
pages = {297–310},
publisher = {Elsevier},
abstract = {Risky choices often have a natural starting-point. For example, insurance-type decisions concern reducing risk while investment-type decisions concern increasing it. A recent reference-dependent utility model predicts such references influence behaviour. Stochastic references act as endowments, with riskier references leading to riskier choices. We test this prediction in an identical choice set using a between-subject design in rural Uganda. Subjects are subtly assigned to one of three reference lotteries. On average, those with riskier endowments risk half a standard deviation more coins. We also consider the effect of introducing a new stochastic reference. In a within-subject second round, we test whether a social signal acts as a competing reference. In our experiment, information on peers’ choices is a stronger pull than the initial treatment effect. On average, subjects converge to the social signal by 0.37 for each unit of difference. Previous research focuses on the absence or presence of risk, allowing either the reference or prospect to be non-degenerate. Our results allow both to contain an element of risk, and show that the endowment effect can operate on the level of risk: risky choice is influenced by the riskiness of the reference.},
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Risky choices often have a natural starting-point. For example, insurance-type decisions concern reducing risk while investment-type decisions concern increasing it. A recent reference-dependent utility model predicts such references influence behaviour. Stochastic references act as endowments, with riskier references leading to riskier choices. We test this prediction in an identical choice set using a between-subject design in rural Uganda. Subjects are subtly assigned to one of three reference lotteries. On average, those with riskier endowments risk half a standard deviation more coins. We also consider the effect of introducing a new stochastic reference. In a within-subject second round, we test whether a social signal acts as a competing reference. In our experiment, information on peers’ choices is a stronger pull than the initial treatment effect. On average, subjects converge to the social signal by 0.37 for each unit of difference. Previous research focuses on the absence or presence of risk, allowing either the reference or prospect to be non-degenerate. Our results allow both to contain an element of risk, and show that the endowment effect can operate on the level of risk: risky choice is influenced by the riskiness of the reference.
Fuhrmann-Riebel, Hanna; D’Exelle, Ben; Verschoor, Arjan
The role of preferences for pro-environmental behaviour among urban middle class households in Peru Journal Article
In: Ecological Economics, vol. 180, 2021, ISSN: 0921-8009.
@article{bbc4f30796534839a9cdb95acc0c4a12,
title = {The role of preferences for pro-environmental behaviour among urban middle class households in Peru},
author = {Hanna Fuhrmann-Riebel and Ben D'Exelle and Arjan Verschoor},
doi = {10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106850},
issn = {0921-8009},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-02-01},
journal = {Ecological Economics},
volume = {180},
publisher = {Elsevier},
abstract = {Pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) is known to reflect people's social preferences, time preferences and risk preferences. Previous research has tended to consider these in isolation, which means they may proxy for omitted ones, leading to biased estimates. Moreover, it has not considered ambiguity preferences, which for some PEBs is conceptually more relevant than risk preferences. Using a survey module from the Global Preference Survey (GPS), we investigate the role of a large range of preferences for PEB in a sample of 900 middle class households in Lima, Peru. The PEBs we consider are habitually saving energy, avoiding the use of plastics, and limiting expenditures on electricity. We find that social preferences matter mainly for saving-energy behaviour; time, risk and ambiguity preferences matter mainly for the consumption of plastics; and time and ambiguity preferences matter for expenditures on electricity. The insight that particular preferences matter for particular PEBs has important policy implications.},
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Pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) is known to reflect people’s social preferences, time preferences and risk preferences. Previous research has tended to consider these in isolation, which means they may proxy for omitted ones, leading to biased estimates. Moreover, it has not considered ambiguity preferences, which for some PEBs is conceptually more relevant than risk preferences. Using a survey module from the Global Preference Survey (GPS), we investigate the role of a large range of preferences for PEB in a sample of 900 middle class households in Lima, Peru. The PEBs we consider are habitually saving energy, avoiding the use of plastics, and limiting expenditures on electricity. We find that social preferences matter mainly for saving-energy behaviour; time, risk and ambiguity preferences matter mainly for the consumption of plastics; and time and ambiguity preferences matter for expenditures on electricity. The insight that particular preferences matter for particular PEBs has important policy implications.
2020
Fuhrmann, Hanna; D’Exelle, Ben; Verschoor, Arjan
The Role of Preferences for Pro-environmental Behaviour among Urban Middle Class Households In Peru Technical Report
School of International Development, University of East Anglia, U.K. no. 56, 2020.
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title = {The Role of Preferences for Pro-environmental Behaviour among Urban Middle Class Households In Peru},
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2019
Munro, Alistair; D’Exelle, Ben; Verschoor, Arjan
Investment behaviour when agents’ influence on the success probability is hard to detect: An experiment Technical Report
no. 11, 2019.
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2018
Osborne, Matthew; D’Exelle, Ben; Verschoor, Arjan
Truly reconciled? A dyadic analysis of post-conflict social reintegration in Northern Uganda Journal Article
In: Journal of Peace Research, vol. 55, no. 1, pp. 107–121, 2018, ISSN: 0022-3433.
@article{0d834ed457b44f0b86b70ecfaf86fc5c,
title = {Truly reconciled? A dyadic analysis of post-conflict social reintegration in Northern Uganda},
author = {Matthew Osborne and Ben D'Exelle and Arjan Verschoor},
doi = {10.1177/0022343317729011},
issn = {0022-3433},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Peace Research},
volume = {55},
number = {1},
pages = {107–121},
publisher = {Sage Publications},
abstract = {In the aftermath of civil war or violent internal conflict, one of the key peacebuilding challenges is the reconciliation of former enemies who are members of the same small-scale societies. A failure of social reintegration may contribute to what is known as a conflict trap. To detect lingering hostile attitudes among a community’s various factions is crucial, but the approaches adopted in previous studies tend to focus on the impact of conflict on one or other aggregated indicator of social cohesion rather than on how violence-affected individuals regard and act towards their fellow community members. Here we demonstrate the value of concentrating on this latter dyadic component of social interactions and we use behavioural experiments and a social tie survey to assess, in an appropriately disaggregated manner, social cohesion in a post-conflict setting in northern Uganda. Whereas in self-reported surveys, ex-combatants appear to be well-connected, active members of their communities, the experiments unveil the continued reluctance of other community members to share or cooperate with them; fewer resources are committed to ex-combatants than to others, which is statistically significant. The dyadic nature of our analysis allows us to detect which groups are more prone to discriminate against ex-combatants, which may help facilitate targeted interventions.},
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In the aftermath of civil war or violent internal conflict, one of the key peacebuilding challenges is the reconciliation of former enemies who are members of the same small-scale societies. A failure of social reintegration may contribute to what is known as a conflict trap. To detect lingering hostile attitudes among a community’s various factions is crucial, but the approaches adopted in previous studies tend to focus on the impact of conflict on one or other aggregated indicator of social cohesion rather than on how violence-affected individuals regard and act towards their fellow community members. Here we demonstrate the value of concentrating on this latter dyadic component of social interactions and we use behavioural experiments and a social tie survey to assess, in an appropriately disaggregated manner, social cohesion in a post-conflict setting in northern Uganda. Whereas in self-reported surveys, ex-combatants appear to be well-connected, active members of their communities, the experiments unveil the continued reluctance of other community members to share or cooperate with them; fewer resources are committed to ex-combatants than to others, which is statistically significant. The dyadic nature of our analysis allows us to detect which groups are more prone to discriminate against ex-combatants, which may help facilitate targeted interventions.
2016
Verschoor, Arjan; D’Exelle, Ben; Perez-Viana, Borja
Lab and life: Does risky choice behaviour observed in experiments reflect that in the real world? Journal Article
In: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, vol. 128, pp. 134–148, 2016, ISSN: 0167-2681, (Open Access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)).
@article{e0200fd216014ca3986649619fb7fc23,
title = {Lab and life: Does risky choice behaviour observed in experiments reflect that in the real world?},
author = {Arjan Verschoor and Ben D'Exelle and Borja Perez-Viana},
doi = {10.1016/j.jebo.2016.05.009},
issn = {0167-2681},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-08-01},
journal = {Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization},
volume = {128},
pages = {134–148},
publisher = {Elsevier},
abstract = {Risk preferences play a crucial role in a great variety of economic decisions. Measuring risk preferences reliably is therefore an important challenge. In this paper we ask the question whether risk preferences observed in economic experiments reflect real-life risky choice behaviour. We investigate in a sample representative for a rural region of eastern Uganda whether pursuing farming strategies with both a higher expected profit and greater variance of profits is associated with willingness to take risks in an experiment. Controlling for other determinants of risk-taking in agriculture, we find that risky choice behaviour in the experiment is correlated with risky choice behaviour in real life in one domain, i.e. the purchase of fertiliser, but not in other domains, i.e. the growing of cash crops and market-orientation more broadly. Our findings suggest that economic experiments may be good at capturing real-world risky choice behaviour that is narrowly bracketed.},
note = {Open Access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)},
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Risk preferences play a crucial role in a great variety of economic decisions. Measuring risk preferences reliably is therefore an important challenge. In this paper we ask the question whether risk preferences observed in economic experiments reflect real-life risky choice behaviour. We investigate in a sample representative for a rural region of eastern Uganda whether pursuing farming strategies with both a higher expected profit and greater variance of profits is associated with willingness to take risks in an experiment. Controlling for other determinants of risk-taking in agriculture, we find that risky choice behaviour in the experiment is correlated with risky choice behaviour in real life in one domain, i.e. the purchase of fertiliser, but not in other domains, i.e. the growing of cash crops and market-orientation more broadly. Our findings suggest that economic experiments may be good at capturing real-world risky choice behaviour that is narrowly bracketed.
Balungira, Joshua; D’Exelle, Ben; Perez-Viana, Borja; Verschoor, Arjan
Co-producing policy recommendations: Lessons from a DEGRP project in Uganda Book
Growth Research Programme, 2016.
@book{9751b74185d7480b99616a68abd8f650,
title = {Co-producing policy recommendations: Lessons from a DEGRP project in Uganda},
author = {Joshua Balungira and Ben D'Exelle and Borja Perez-Viana and Arjan Verschoor},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-01-08},
publisher = {Growth Research Programme},
abstract = {As part of their research on agricultural investment in Uganda, DEGRP grant holders from the University of East Anglia conducted a series of consultations with local and national stakeholders. The aim? To gain feedback on the relevance of their research findings, test the applicability of their policy recommendations, and boost the overall likelihood of policy impact. This report describes in detail how the researchers turned findings into recommendations, and how the various stages of stakeholder consultation influenced different elements of the project. It includes a step-by-step illustration of the stakeholder engagement process, which is also available a separate graphic.},
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As part of their research on agricultural investment in Uganda, DEGRP grant holders from the University of East Anglia conducted a series of consultations with local and national stakeholders. The aim? To gain feedback on the relevance of their research findings, test the applicability of their policy recommendations, and boost the overall likelihood of policy impact. This report describes in detail how the researchers turned findings into recommendations, and how the various stages of stakeholder consultation influenced different elements of the project. It includes a step-by-step illustration of the stakeholder engagement process, which is also available a separate graphic.
Verschoor, Arjan; D’Exelle, Ben; Balungira, Joshua; Clist, Paul; Perez-Viana, Borja
Risk-taking, risk-sharing and underinvestment in agriculture in eastern Uganda – Policy lessons Book
Growth Research Programme, 2016.
@book{f1455a2c19524db595b5ae19b36fc100,
title = {Risk-taking, risk-sharing and underinvestment in agriculture in eastern Uganda – Policy lessons},
author = {Arjan Verschoor and Ben D'Exelle and Joshua Balungira and Paul Clist and Borja Perez-Viana},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-01-07},
publisher = {Growth Research Programme},
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2015
Lahno, Amrei; Serra-Garcia, Marta; D’Exelle, Ben; Verschoor, Arjan
Conflicting risk attitudes Journal Article
In: Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, vol. 118, pp. 136–149, 2015, ISSN: 0167-2681, (Published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.).
@article{39a748067b6345f8a5b0038447d2124f,
title = {Conflicting risk attitudes},
author = {Amrei Lahno and Marta Serra-Garcia and Ben D'Exelle and Arjan Verschoor},
doi = {10.1016/j.jebo.2015.03.003},
issn = {0167-2681},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-10-01},
journal = {Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization},
volume = {118},
pages = {136–149},
publisher = {Elsevier},
abstract = {This paper examines whether differences in individual risk attitudes are related to interpersonal conflict. In more than thirty villages of rural Uganda, we conduct a social survey to document social links between pairs of individuals within a village, and separately elicit individual risk attitudes using an incentivized task. Our findings reveal that the difference in risk attitudes between two individuals is significantly and positively related to the presence of interpersonal conflict between them. This relationship is particularly strong among kin. By contrast, the strength of risk aversion per se is not related to conflict. Further, we conduct simulations that suggest that the relationship cannot be solely explained by diverging attitudes after the severing of social ties as a result of interpersonal conflict.},
note = {Published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
This paper examines whether differences in individual risk attitudes are related to interpersonal conflict. In more than thirty villages of rural Uganda, we conduct a social survey to document social links between pairs of individuals within a village, and separately elicit individual risk attitudes using an incentivized task. Our findings reveal that the difference in risk attitudes between two individuals is significantly and positively related to the presence of interpersonal conflict between them. This relationship is particularly strong among kin. By contrast, the strength of risk aversion per se is not related to conflict. Further, we conduct simulations that suggest that the relationship cannot be solely explained by diverging attitudes after the severing of social ties as a result of interpersonal conflict.
D’Exelle, Ben; Verschoor, Arjan
Investment behaviour, risk sharing and social distance Journal Article
In: The Economic Journal, vol. 125, no. 584, pp. 777–802, 2015, ISSN: 0013-0133.
@article{e6781db9c7504e2abdb1b02437f57b59,
title = {Investment behaviour, risk sharing and social distance},
author = {Ben D'Exelle and Arjan Verschoor},
doi = {10.1111/ecoj.12264},
issn = {0013-0133},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-05-01},
journal = {The Economic Journal},
volume = {125},
number = {584},
pages = {777–802},
publisher = {Wiley},
abstract = {Using a lab-in-the-field experiment in Uganda we study how risk sharing influences investment behaviour. Depending on the treatment, an investor may decide to share profits with a paired person, and/or the paired person may compensate the investor for investment losses. Following sharing norms in African societies, predicted investment is higher if loss sharing is possible, and/or profit sharing is not possible. Contrary to these predictions, we find that investment is higher when losses may not be shared or when profits may be shared with friends. A combination of directed altruism and expected reciprocity appears most plausible to explain these results.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Using a lab-in-the-field experiment in Uganda we study how risk sharing influences investment behaviour. Depending on the treatment, an investor may decide to share profits with a paired person, and/or the paired person may compensate the investor for investment losses. Following sharing norms in African societies, predicted investment is higher if loss sharing is possible, and/or profit sharing is not possible. Contrary to these predictions, we find that investment is higher when losses may not be shared or when profits may be shared with friends. A combination of directed altruism and expected reciprocity appears most plausible to explain these results.
Email: b.dexelle@uea.ac.uk