Science of Behavior Change, Reading List

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Reading list before each lecture:

All students registered at KU (including international students) have access to journal subscription through the university library. Here is a guide for students. Note that you are automatically granted access to these journals by being on the university network. That is the case if you are physically on campus and connected through the KU wireless network. You can also get on the network through a VPN (check on UCPH website how to set up the VPN). As long as you are on the VPN (or on campus), google scholar searches will lead you to the journal articles.

Short video (8 min) on “How to Read Empricial Papers”.

We have also prepared a written guide for you, available here.

Part 1

L1: Change for good

Johnson, E. J., & Goldstein, D. G. (2003). Do defaults save lives? Science, 302, 1338-1339.
Milkman, K. L., Beshears, J., Choi, J. J., Laibson, D., & Madrian, B. C. (2011). Using implementation intentions prompts to enhance influenza vaccination rates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(26), 10415-10420.

L2: Mistakes and Biases

Blanco, F. (2017). Cognitive Bias. In J. Vonk, and T.K. Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. New York: Springer.

L3: Self-control problems

Chabris, C. F., Laibson, D. I., & Schuldt, J. P. (2008). Intertemporal choice. The new Palgrave dictionary of economics.
Duckworth, A. L., Milkman, K. L., & Laibson, D. (2018). Beyond willpower: Strategies for reducing failures of self-control. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 19(3), 102-129.

L4: Regulation, Information and Incentives

Madrian, B. C. (2014). Applying Insights from Behavioral Economics to Policy Design. Annual Review of Economics, 6(1), 663-688.
Gneezy, U., Meier, S., & Rey-Biel, P. (2011). When and why incentives (don’t) work to modify behavior. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 25(4), 191-210.

L5: Behavioral Insights and L6: Presentations and feedback (Tools)

Richburg-Hayes, L., Anzelone, C., Dechausay, N., Saugato, D., Fiorillo, A., Potok, L., Darling, M. & Balz, J. (2014). Behavioral Economics and Social Policy: Designing Innovative Solutions for Programs Supported by the Administration for Children and Families. OPRE Report No. 2014-16a. Only chapter 1 and 2.
Ly, K., Mažar, N., Zhao, M., & Soman, D. (2013). A practitioner’s guide to nudging. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

L7: Randomized Evaluations 1, L8: Randomized Evaluations 2 and L9: Presentations

Pomeranz, D. (2011). Impact Evaluation Methods: A Brief Introduction to Randomized Evaluations in Comparison with Other Methods.
Imai K. (2005). Case Study: Get out the Vote. Do Phone Calls to Encourage Voting Work? Why Randomize? Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab.

Part 2:

A1: Environment

Allcott, H. (2011). Social norms and energy conservation. Journal of Public Economics, 95(9), 1082-1095.
Allcott, H., & Rogers, T. (2014). The Short-Run and Long-Run Effects of Behavioral Interventions: Experimental Evidence from Energy Conservation. American Economic Review, 104(10), 3003-3037.
Costa, D. L., & Kahn, M. E. (2013). Energy conservation “nudges” and environmentalist ideology: Evidence from a randomized residential electricity field experiment. Journal of the European Economic Association, 11(3), 680-702.

A2: Health

Volpp, K. G., John, L. K., Troxel, A. B., Norton, L., Fassbender, J. & Lowenstein, G. (2008). Financial incentive–based approaches for weight loss: a randomized trial. Jama, 300(22), 2631-2637.
Giné, X., Karlan, D. & Zinman, J. (2010) Put Your Money Where Your Butt Is: A Commitment Contract for Smoking Cessation. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics ,2(4), 213-235.
Charness, G., & Gneezy, U. (2009). Incentives to exercise. Econometrica, 77(3), 909-931.

A3: Dishonesty

Balafoutas, L., Beck, A., Kerschbamer, R. & Sutter M. (2013). What Drives Taxi Drivers? A Field Experiment on Fraud in a Market for Credence Goods. The Review of Economic Studies, 80 (3), 876-891.
Kleven, H. J., Knudsen, M. B., Kreiner, C. T., Pedersen, S. & Saez, E. (2011). Unwilling or Unable to Cheat? Evidence From a Tax Audit Experiment in Denmark. Econometrica, 79(3), 651–692.
Naritomi, J. (2018). Consumers as Tax Auditors. American Economic Review, 109(9), 3031-72.

A4: Education

Bettinger, E. P., Long, B. T., Oreopoulos, P. & Sanbonmatsu, L. (2012). The Role of Application Assistance and Information in College Decisions: Results from the H&R Block Fafsa Experiment. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 127(3), 1205-1242.
Mayer, S., Kalil, A., Oreopoulos, P. & Gallegos, S. (2015). Using behavioral insights to increase parental engagement: The parents and children together (PACT) intervention. National Bureau of Economic Research. Working Paper 21602.
Alan, S., Boneva, T. & Ertac, S. (2019). Ever Failed, Try Again, Succeed Better: Results From a Randomized Educational Intervention On Grit. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 134(3), 1121–1162.

A5: Work

Kosfeld, M. & Neckermann, S. (2011). Getting More Work for Nothing? Symbolic Awards and Worker Performance. American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, 3(3), 86–99.
Bloom, N., Liang, J., Roberts, J. & Ying, Z. J. (2014). Does working from home work? Evidence from a Chinese experiment. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 130(1), 165-218. DOI:
DellaVigna, S. & Pope, D. (2017). What Motivates Effort? Evidence and Expert Forecasts. The Review of Economic Studies, 85(2), 1029–1069.

A6: Charitable Giving

Falk, A. (2007). Gift exchange in the field. Econometrica, 75(5), 1501-1511.
Damgaard, M.T. & Gravert, C. (2018). The hidden costs of nudging: Experimental evidence from reminders in fundraising. Journal of Public Economics, 157, 15–26.
Kessler, J.B. & Milkman, K.L. (2018). Identity in Charitable Giving. Management Science, 64(2), 845–859.

A7: Saving

Thaler, R.H. & Benartzi, S. (2004). Save More Tomorrow™: Using Behavioral Economics to Increase Employee Saving. Journal of Political Economy, 112(S1), S164–S187.
Soman, D. & Cheema, A. (2011). Earmarking and Partitioning: Increasing Saving by Low-Income Households. Journal of Marketing Research, 48(SPL), S14–S22.
Chetty, R., Friedman, J. N., Leth-Pedersen, S., Nielsen, T. H. & Olsen, T. (2014). Active vs. Passive Decisions and Crowd-Out in Retirement Savings Accounts: Evidence from Denmark. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 129(3), 1141–1219.

A8: Voting

Nickerson, D.W. & Rogers, T. (2010). Do You Have a Voting Plan? Psychological Science, 21(2), 194–199.
Bond, R.M., Fariss, C. J., Jones, J. J., Kramer, A. D. I, Marlow, C., Settle, J. E. & Fowler, J. H. (2012). A 61-million-person experiment in social influence and political mobilization. Nature, 489(7415), 295–298.
Imai, K., Goldstein, D. G., Göritz, A. S., & Gollwitzer, P. M. (2007). Nudging turnout: Mere measurement and implementation planning of intentions to vote. SSRN Electronic Journal.

A9: Development

Mani, A., Mullainathan, S., Shafir, E. & Zhao, J. (2013). Poverty Impedes Cognitive Function. Science, 341(6149), 976–980.
Ashraf, N., Bandiera, O. & Jack, B.K. (2014). No margin, no mission? A field experiment on incentives for public service delivery. Journal of Public Economics, 120,1–17.
Giné, X. & Karlan, D.S. (2014). Group versus individual liability: Short and long term evidence from Philippine microcredit lending groups. Journal of Development Economics, 107, 65–83.

A20: Discrimination

Bertrand, M. & Mullainathan, S. (2004). Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market Discrimination. American Economic Review, 94(4), 991–1013.
Goldin, C. & Rouse, C. (2000). Orchestrating Impartiality: The Impact of “Blind” Auditions on Female Musicians. American Economic Review, 90(4), 715–741.
Antecol, H., Bedard, K., & Stearns, J. (2018). Equal but Inequitable: Who Benefits from Gender-Neutral Tenure Clock Stopping Policies? American Economic Review, 108(9): 2420–2441

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