Using Preference Estimates to Customize Incentives: An Application to Polio Vaccination Drives in Pakistan

Andreoni J, Callen M, Hussain K, Khan MY, Sprenger C (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Journal of the European Economic Association Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press (MIT Press) / Wiley-Blackwell: No OnlineOpen

DOI: 10.1093/jeea/jvac068

Abstract

We use estimates of time preferences to customize incentives for polio vaccinators in Lahore, Pakistan. We measure time preferences using intertemporal allocations of effort, and use these estimates to construct individually tailored incentives. We evaluate the effect of matching contract terms to discounting parameters in a subsequent experiment with the same vaccinators. Our tailored policy is compared with alternatives that either rely on atheoretic reduced-form relationships for policy guidance or apply the same policy to all individuals. We find that contracts tailored to individual discounting outperform this range of policy alternatives.

Authors with CRIS profile

Karrar Hussain Lehrstuhl für Volkswirtschaftslehre: Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft des Nahen Ostens

Involved external institutions

University of Pittsburgh

United States (USA) (US) California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

United States (USA) (US) University of California, San Diego

United States (USA) (US) The London School of Economics and Political Science

United Kingdom (GB)

How to cite

APA:

Andreoni, J., Callen, M., Hussain, K., Khan, M.Y., & Sprenger, C. (2022). Using Preference Estimates to Customize Incentives: An Application to Polio Vaccination Drives in Pakistan. Journal of the European Economic Association. https://doi.org/10.1093/jeea/jvac068

MLA:

Andreoni, James, et al. "Using Preference Estimates to Customize Incentives: An Application to Polio Vaccination Drives in Pakistan." Journal of the European Economic Association (2022).

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