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Choking under time pressure: The influence of deadline-dependent bonus and malus incentive schemes on performance

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  • Essl, Andrea
  • Jaussi, Stefanie

Abstract

Many economically relevant activities are executed under notable time pressures. Incentivized deadlines are often the reason people feel pressured. In such an environment, individual preferences can predict performance. Through a laboratory experiment, we examine the predictive power of individual loss aversion on performance under deadline-dependent incentives. Participants worked on a real effort task under two payoff-equivalent contracts framed in bonus and malus terms. The results show lower performance for individuals with high loss aversion when working under a malus contract. These individuals needed more time to reply and were less able to avoid maluses than other individuals. Choking can explain this observed behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Essl, Andrea & Jaussi, Stefanie, 2017. "Choking under time pressure: The influence of deadline-dependent bonus and malus incentive schemes on performance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 127-137.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:133:y:2017:i:c:p:127-137
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2016.11.001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Masaya Nishihata & Suguru Otani, 2024. "Pressure, Reference Points, and Risk-Taking Behavior: Evidence from Bench Press Competitions," Papers 2409.13333, arXiv.org.
    3. Guan, Hongyu & Yang, Tianli & Zhang, Yunyun & Shi, Yaojiang, 2023. "Time's ticking! Effects of deadline on the utilization of health services: Evidence from a cluster-randomized controlled trial," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 338(C).
    4. Jungwon Min, 2022. "Effects of Mixed-Gender Competition: Choking under Pressure in a Dynamic Tournament," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-14, April.
    5. Soane, Emma & Aufegger, Lisa, 2024. "Changing risk-taking: the effects of tasks and incentives on the variability of risk-taking," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 124339, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Aurélien Baillon & Zhenxing Huang & Asli Selim & Peter P. Wakker, 2018. "Measuring Ambiguity Attitudes for All (Natural) Events," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 86(5), pages 1839-1858, September.
    7. De Paola, Maria & Gioia, Francesca & Pupo, Valeria, 2020. "Selection and Incentives under Time Pressure: The Importance of Framing," IZA Discussion Papers 13474, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Pau Balart & Lara Ezquerra & Iñigo Hernandez-Arenaz, 2022. "Framing effects on risk-taking behavior: evidence from a field experiment in multiple-choice tests," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 25(4), pages 1268-1297, September.
    9. Niu, Weining & Zeng, Qingduo, 2018. "Corporate financing with loss aversion and disagreement," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 80-90.
    10. Huigang Liang & Yajiong Xue, 2022. "Save Face or Save Life: Physicians’ Dilemma in Using Clinical Decision Support Systems," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(2), pages 737-758, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Time pressure; Deadline-dependent incentive schemes; Loss aversion; Choking under pressure; Laboratory experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods

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