CeDEx
Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics

CeDEx workshop - Dirk Engelmann (University of Mannheim)

Date(s)
Wednesday 19th February 2014 (14:00-15:00)
Description

Who Cares for Social Image? Interactions between Intrinsic Motivation and Social Image Concerns

Abstract:

We consider the interaction of intrinsic motivation and concerns for social approval in a laboratory experiment. We elicit a proxy for Fairtrade preferences before the experiment in which we elicit willingness to pay for conventional and Fairtrade chocolate. Treatments vary whether this can be signaled to other participants. Subjects concerned with social approval should state a higher Fairtrade premium when signaling is possible. We find that this is the case, but interestingly only for participants who are not intrinsically motivated to buy Fairtrade. This has important implications both for crowding out of intrinsic motivation through incentives and for producer choices.

Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics

Sir Clive Granger Building
University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

telephone: +44 (0)115 951 5458
Enquiries: jose.guinotsaporta@nottingham.ac.uk
Experiments: cedex@nottingham.ac.uk