Gonzalo Llamosas García , Cristina Mazas Pérez-Oleaga
{"title":"What works in financial education? Experimental evidence on program impact","authors":"Gonzalo Llamosas García , Cristina Mazas Pérez-Oleaga","doi":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102401","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102401","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Financial education is increasingly essential for safeguarding both individual and corporate well-being. This study systematically reviews global financial education experiments using a dual-method framework that integrates a deep learning classifier with advanced multivariate statistical techniques. Our analysis indicates that while short-term improvements in financial literacy are common, such gains tend to diminish over time without ongoing reinforcement. Moreover, the limited impact of digital innovations and monetary incentives suggests that successful financial education depends on more than simply deploying technological solutions or extrinsic rewards. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of financial education in a dynamic economic context and underscores the need for sustainable strategies that secure lasting improvements in financial literacy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51637,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102401"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Buyer-side gender discrimination in bargaining: Evidence from seed sales in Uganda","authors":"Bjorn Van Campenhout , Leocardia Nabwire","doi":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102404","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102404","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Haggling over prices is a common feature of economic transactions in many societies. This study examines whether the gender of the seller influences buyers’ negotiation strategies and outcomes in bilateral price bargaining. Using a bargaining experiment in eastern Uganda, we analyze interactions between smallholder maize farmers and either a male or female seed seller. Our findings reveal that buyers negotiating with female sellers are less likely to accept the initial offer price and respond with lower counter-bids compared to those bargaining with male sellers. Negotiations also last, on average, one round longer when the seller is a woman, and final transaction prices are nearly 9 percent lower. These results are particularly relevant for rural economies, where restrictive gender norms limit women’s financial autonomy. Given that small agribusinesses often provide one of the few viable income-generating opportunities for women, gender biases in market interactions can have substantial implications for economic empowerment and household welfare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51637,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102404"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Self-censorship in the classroom","authors":"Sarah Greenberg , Daniel F. Stone","doi":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102393","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102393","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present results from an extensive study (14 classes, 407 students) of the degree to which college students self-censor broad political views in classroom settings. We estimate the prevalence of self-censorship by comparing private and public reporting of views. We also study the accuracy of student beliefs about classmate self-censorship by eliciting beliefs about classmates’ private views. We find that students were approximately equally likely to report being socially liberal, economically liberal, and leaning Democratic in private and public settings. However, of students who privately reported being socially conservative, Republican, and economically conservative outside of economics classes, 38%, 45%, and 30% (respectively) did not reveal this publicly. Students in introductory classes were more likely to self-censor. The order of responses options was randomized and had a large effect on the degree of self-censorship of Republicanism. Student beliefs about the distributions of classmates’ political views were mostly accurate but there was substantial underestimation of the percentages of economic conservatives and non-partisans. Results from a follow-up survey suggest that social consequences for students who publicly stated that they were conservative were limited, but not non-existent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51637,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102393"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144611850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Time pressure and motivated delay effects on sanctioning in a social dilemma: Experimental evidence","authors":"Todd Guilfoos , Jordan F. Suter","doi":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102403","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102403","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We examine intuitive and deliberative cognitive processes on collective action through sanctioning in a social dilemma using two experiments with cognitive manipulations. The first experiment applies time pressure during the voting stage for sanctions to prompt quick and intuitive thought processes to the decision. The second experiment applies a motivated delay treatment to enact deliberative cognitive processes to the voting stage. We find that time pressure and motivated delay do not effect voting for cooperative rules.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51637,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102403"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144632413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jana Eßer , Daniela Flörchinger , Manuel Frondel , Stephan Sommer
{"title":"Avoiding cognitive inconsistency: Experimental evidence on sustainable online shopping","authors":"Jana Eßer , Daniela Flörchinger , Manuel Frondel , Stephan Sommer","doi":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102387","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102387","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cognitive inconsistency, the discrepancy between individuals’ behavior and their self-image, can cause the psychological discomfort called cognitive dissonance. Drawing on the results of a large-scale online survey experiment conducted in Germany in 2021, this paper investigates whether cognitive dissonance is reduced through self-deception and behavior change. After their attitudes toward sustainable production were elicited, participants could opt for a voucher from either a conventional or a sustainable online marketplace in an incentivized discrete-choice task. The task was combined with an experimental setting in which the salience of cognitive inconsistency was increased by either randomly reminding participants of their previously stated attitudes toward sustainable production or by providing information about the negative aspects of conventional online shopping. While we do not find evidence for self-deception, respondents adapt their behavior to their attitudes when their cognitive inconsistency is more salient.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51637,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102387"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The effects of cognitive load and mindfulness meditation on decisions related to risk and time","authors":"Natalia Bulla-Holthaus , Nadja Kairies-Schwarz , Irene Mussio","doi":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102412","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102412","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores how cognitive load and a preventive mindfulness meditation impact decisions related to risk and time. For this, we use a controlled laboratory experiment with university students and a sequential design in which we elicit their risk and time attitudes twice. First, we elicit them in a baseline scenario. This is followed by an intervention period, in which we vary the presence of a one-time brief guided mindfulness meditation exercise. In second elicitation period, we then vary the inclusion of a cognitive load task. To measure potential physiological responses to cognitive load and mindfulness meditation, we continuously track participants’ heart rates using fitness watches throughout the experiment. We find that in treatments with cognitive load the average heart rate increases relatively more during the second elicitation than in those without it, suggesting an acute physiological response. While a neutral waiting period does not affect risk-related choices post-intervention, the one with a guided mindfulness meditation reduces the probability of risk seeking choices and decreases the probability of individuals to make no changes in choices, in the subsequent treatment with cognitive load. Attitudes towards time remain consistent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51637,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 102412"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juan Wang , Jakobus E. van Zyl , Le Wen , Yongbo Li , Shuai Che
{"title":"The impact of smart meter programmes on household water consumption: evidence from New Zealand","authors":"Juan Wang , Jakobus E. van Zyl , Le Wen , Yongbo Li , Shuai Che","doi":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102413","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102413","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Based on monthly water use data from 22,362 households in Auckland from January 2022 to June 2023, this study investigates the effect of smart meters on household water use through a Difference-in-Differences (DID) model. This paper finds that replacing conventional meters with smart water meters resulted in an increase in measured residential water use by about 4 %. However, this increase was offset by the installation of mobile apps that provide real-time water usage information and leakage alerts. Such features have motivated residents to manage their water use more rationally, potentially reducing average consumption by around 5 %. Additionally, heterogeneity analysis reveals that the installation of smart water meters and mobile apps led to increased water use among households with low baseline consumption and decreased water use among those with high baseline consumption. The empirical findings provide key insights for smart metering implementation and offers practical recommendations for policymakers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51637,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 102413"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144686107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Future time perspective and job satisfaction in financial planning for retirement","authors":"Fernando Coral Polanco","doi":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102415","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102415","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The analysis of the role that job satisfaction (JS) can play in a psychological model of financial planning for retirement (FPR) is an original contribution of this research. The study focuses on a sample of the Spanish population, necessitating an appropriate measure of FPR. The findings provide robust evidence that psychological factors—such as Future Time Perspective (FTP), operationalized through the Consideration of Future Consequences construct in this study—are the primary drivers of FPR. The influence of psychological factors is further strengthened by their role as mediators between sociodemographic variables and FPR. Moreover, JS exerts a negative but moderate influence on FPR, providing opportunities for public policy interventions. The stability of these relationships was assessed using multi-group structural equation modeling, revealing significant differences across age groups, which stimulate further research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51637,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102415"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144587825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of zero price and reciprocity on online consumer reviews","authors":"Xian. Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102416","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102416","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Online consumer reviews are important for businesses because they potentially influence product sales and profits. This study examines the zero price effect on online consumer reviews and reciprocity as the mechanism through which such an effect operates. By conducting a lab experiment, I observed review behaviour of subjects who received coffee for free or for 1 cent and measured their degree of reciprocity using a Trust Game. Although zero pricing did not significantly change review participation, ratings and emotions, subjects under the zero price treatment wrote longer reviews, therein possibly expressing their greater appreciation. No significant differences in review behaviour were found between high and low reciprocal subjects. Model estimations further show that the zero price effect is significantly negative on the rating of overall performance for those with low reciprocity, but higher reciprocity can mitigate this effect.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51637,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics","volume":"119 ","pages":"Article 102416"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144580435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maurizio Caserta, Rosaria Distefano, Livio Ferrante, Francesco Reito
{"title":"Challenging the free-rider: Children behavior in a public goods game","authors":"Maurizio Caserta, Rosaria Distefano, Livio Ferrante, Francesco Reito","doi":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102400","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socec.2025.102400","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents the results of an educational program designed to promote prosocial attitudes among 11-year-old children in Southern Italy. The experiment investigates whether education on socially beneficial behavior can increase voluntary contributions in a standard public goods game and reduce free riding. The program consists of five interactive lectures delivered by young economics students on sustainable consumption, social responsibility, and environmental awareness. Results suggest that participation in the program significantly increases both the probability of contributing and the size of contributions. Interestingly, the transmission of prosocial behavior appears to have a stronger impact among students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51637,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 102400"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144549488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}