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Cooperation or Competition? A Field Experiment on Non-monetary Learning Incentives

Author

Listed:
  • Bigoni Maria

    (Department of Economics, University of Bologna, Piazza Scaravilli 2, Bologna, Italy)

  • Fort Margherita

    (Department of Economics, University of Bologna, Piazza Scaravilli 2, Bologna, Italy)

  • Nardotto Mattia

    (Department of Economics, University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, Cologne, Germany)

  • Reggiani Tommaso G.

    (IZA, Bonn, Germany)

Abstract

We assess the effect of two antithetic non-monetary incentive schemes based on grading rules on students’ effort, using experimental data. We randomly assigned students to a tournament scheme that fosters competition between paired up students, a cooperative scheme that promotes information sharing and collaboration between students and a baseline treatment in which students can neither compete nor cooperate. In line with theoretical predictions, we find that competition induces higher effort with respect to cooperation, whereas cooperation does not increase effort with respect to the baseline treatment. Nonetheless, we find a strong gender effect since this result holds only for men while women do not react to this type of non-monetary incentives.

Suggested Citation

  • Bigoni Maria & Fort Margherita & Nardotto Mattia & Reggiani Tommaso G., 2015. "Cooperation or Competition? A Field Experiment on Non-monetary Learning Incentives," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 15(4), pages 1753-1792, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:15:y:2015:i:4:p:1753-1792:n:11
    DOI: 10.1515/bejeap-2014-0109
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    Cited by:

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    2. Antoci, Angelo & Bonelli, Laura & Paglieri, Fabio & Reggiani, Tommaso & Sabatini, Fabio, 2019. "Civility and trust in social media," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 83-99.
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    4. Czibor, Eszter & Onderstal, Sander & Sloof, Randolph & van Praag, C. Mirjam, 2020. "Does relative grading help male students? Evidence from a field experiment in the classroom," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    competition; cooperation; education; experimental economics; gender differences; incentives;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General

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