Experimenter bias across gender differences

This paper reports on a laboratory study that examined the influence of experimenter bias in the investment game. Specifically we explored the effect of changing the gender of the experimenter and compared it with the double blind treatment. Our findings show that the presence of a female experimenter influences reciprocity. We also provide further evidence on gender differences in trust and reciprocity.experimenter bias, gender differences,trust, reciprocity.

Altruism and Gender in the Trust Game

This paper analyses gender differences in the trust game. Our experiment implements the triadic design proposed by Cox (2004) to discriminate between transfers resulting from trust or trustworthiness and transfers resulting from altruistic preferences. We observe that women exhibit a higher degree of altruism than men for both trust and trustworthiness but relatively more for trustworthiness. This result provides an explanation to the experimental finding that women reciprocate more than men.gender differences; trust; trustworthiness; altruism; gender pairing

Heuristics and Biases in Travel Mode Choice

This study applies experimental methods to analyze travel mode choice. Two different scenarios are considered. In the first scenario, subjects have to decide whether to commute by car or by metro. Metro costs are fixed, while car costs are uncertain and determined by the joint effect of casual events and traffic congestion. In the second scenario, subjects have to decide whether to travel by car or by bus, both modes in which costs are determined by the combination of chance and congestion. Subjects receive feedback information on the actual travel times of both modes. We find that individuals exhibit a marked preference for cars, are inclined to confirm their first choice and demonstrate travel mode stickiness. We conclude that travel mode choice is subject to heuristics and biases that lead to robust deviations from rational choicetravel mode choice, learning, information, heuristics, cognitive biases

Heuristics and Biases in Travel Mode Choice

. This study applies experimental methods to analyze travel mode choice. Two different scenarios are considered. In the first scenario, subjects have to decide whether to commute by car or by metro. Metro costs are fixed, while car costs are uncertain and determined by the joint effect of casual events and traffic congestion. In the second scenario, subjects have to decide whether to travel by car or by bus, both modes in which costs are determined by the combination of chance and congestion. Subjects receive feedback information on the actual travel times of both modes. We find that individuals exhibit a marked preference for cars, are inclined to confirm their first choice and demonstrate travel mode stickiness. We conclude that travel mode choice is subject to heuristics and biases that lead to robust deviations from rational choice.travel mode choice, learning, information, heuristics, cognitive biases.

The relationship between CO2 and Foreign Direct Investment in the agriculture and fishing sector of OECD countries: Evidence and policy considerations

Abstract This work focuses on the relationship between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the environment. More specifically, it investigates the impact FDI inflowing the "agriculture and fishing" sector of OECD countries exerts on Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions level deriving from sectoral fuel combustion. To this end, a purpose-built dataset containing statistics for 30 OECD countries over 25 years (from 1981 to 2005) is analyzed through the econometric technique of panel data. Apart from other evidence, the result of the analysis shows the existence of negative relationships characterizing the technique (–0.0848), scale (−0.0036) and cumulative (–0.0044) effects of FDI on CO2. From an environmental-economic point of view, this outcome would mean that an increase of the considered type of FDI reduces the CO2 level. It might be concluded, therefore, that FDI plays a beneficial role in the environment. However, a more in-depth look at the quantitative aspect of the coefficients achieved and just mentioned would help us to highlight more appropriately the neutral role FDI has on the considered environmental feature. In terms of policy considerations, this evidence does not allow us to argue against those strategies aimed at enforcing the flow of FDI into the sector under our consideration

A Multidimensional Tourism Carrying Capacity Model: An Empirical Approach

It is often observed that tourism generates a negative impact on the environment of destination places, among which the depletion of the natural capital is the most evident. To avoid this, tourism development and management should be based on the recognition of the limits characterising a destination. The indicator of Tourism Carrying Capacity (TCC) can be particularly relevant to this purpose. In fact, it gives an idea of the threshold of tourists that can be accepted at a destination while considering the capacities of some components of the local tourism system. In this work, we approach a specific definition of TCC, and for its empirical measurement, we also develop a multidimensional model in the form of a mathematical programming application. Furthermore, we apply the model to some tourism destinations in the area of the Gargano National Park (South Italy), where evidence of unsustainable tourism management can be observed

Investigating the Relationship Between FDI and the Environment in OECD Countries: A Sectoral Approach

Over the last two or three decades increasing and ever accelerating trends of environmental degradation have been recorded and widely reported in a number of international scientific works. As is often claimed, this situation is particularly attributable to globalization and the widespread increase of economic activities. The recognition that FDI represents a relevant part of globalization raises various concerns. However, its environmental implications are not easy to identify and this gives rise to complex arguments and contradictory views. This work aims to give a modest contribution to the scientific reflection on the FDI-environment relationship and is structured as follows. The first chapter introduces the main aspects of FDI and identifies the links characterizing its relationship with the natural environment. The second chapter provides a literature review. The third chapter is entirely dedicated to the empirical analyses which attempt to go beyond what is done in the literature. In fact, in addition to a major interest in trade, a particular orientation to develop analyses on national aggregated data is generally observed. Our work, instead - and this might be perceived as its original contribution - investigates the mentioned relationship at the level of specific activity sectors. Through the use of the econometric technique of panel data, a purpose-built dataset is investigated to mainly observe the effect that FDI inflowing in the "agriculture and fishing", the "manufacturing" and the "transport and communication" sectors of the OECD countries generates on the level of some considered pollutants. More specifically, the analysis of the "agriculture and fishing" sector focuses on both the FDI-CH4 (over the period 1990-2005) and FDI-CO2 from the sectoral fuel combustion (over the period 1981-2005) relationships. The "manufacturing" and "transport and communication" sectors are analysed only on the basis of the FDI-CO2 from the sectoral fuel combustion relationship (over the period 1981-2005). Two final chapters are respectively dedicated to the concluding discussion and policy considerations of the work. The results of our analyses, expressed in terms of cumulative effects, show that when the investigation of the "agriculture and fishing" sector is made to observe the CH4-FDI relationship, the coefficient results equal to + 0.0427 + 0.0018 FDI, this showing the increase of Methane emission when FDI grows by 1%. When the "agriculture and fishing" sector is analysed in relation to the CO2-FDI relationship, the cumulative effect coefficient becomes equal to - 0.0848 - 0.0036 FDI, this representing the response of CO2 as a result of 1% growth of FDI. The cumulative effect coefficient for the "manufacturing" sector is equal to + 0.0058 + 0.0014 FDI which represents the increase of the sectoral CO2 from fuel combustion when FDI grows by 1%. Finally, the coefficient of the cumulative effect for the "transport and communication" sector is found equal to + 0.0027 + 0.0014 FDI, this representing the growth of the sectoral CO2 from fuel combustion as a result of a 1% increase of FDI. If the inflow of FDI in each sector is considered at the sample mean value, then for "agriculture and fishing" an actual cumulative impact of +0.0213 is observed for the CH4-FDI and another of -0.0436 for the CO2-FDI relationship. An actual cumulative impact equal to +0.0051 is observed for the CO2-FDI relationship in the "manufacturing" sector and another of +0.0022 for the CO2-FDI in the "transport and communication" sector (values in natural logarithm of CO2 in Mt). Apart from the interpretation of the algebraic signs, which would make us say that FDI is beneficial to the environment when the sign of the identified effect is negative and vice-versa, it is worth underlining how a closer look at the quantitative aspect of our results would allow us to highlight the nearly-zero value and the almost neutral role that FDI exerts on the considered environmental indicators. This is also confirmed by the very small and almost quantitatively insignificant results achieved from assessing the impact FDI exerts on the considered pollutants through GDP. With regard to the "agriculture and fishing" sector, the impact of FDI on CO2 through GDP cannot be identified due to the insignificant result achieved in the estimation of the CO2-GDP relationship. Apart from this, however, an outcome equal to -0.0003 is observed when the impact of FDI inflowing in the "agriculture and fishing" sector on CH4 is assessed through GDP (with FDI and GDP considered at their sample mean value respectively). Similarly, a result of +0.00002 is observed when assessing the impact of FDI on CO2 through GDP in the manufacturing sector and another of +0.0006 when the "transport and communication" sector is made the subject of attention (values in natural logarithm of CO2 in Mt)

Does Italy need family income taxation?

The possible implications of using the family as opposed to the individual as the unit of taxation are not clear. This applies both to work incentives and distributional outcomes. In this paper we evaluate the effects of a hypothetical reform for Italian income taxation with respect to labour supply. In particular, we analyze potential labour supply effects by considering a shift from the current system of individual taxation to a system of family taxation similar to the French family splitting approach. The analysis is based on an econometric model of labour supply that is embedded in a tax–benefit model. Using data from the Bank of Italy Survey of Household Income and Wealth, our simulation results show relatively small effects on the total labour supply but a decrease in female labour supply.tax benefit system, fiscal reform, labour supply, microsimulation