Policy Briefs, PUBLICATIONS, Research ReportsIntertemporal Decisions for Oneself and for a Group and Conservation Decisions: Evidence from a Thai Coastal Village Posted on 4 January, 202114 January, 2021 by researchBy Suparee Boonmanunt, Thomas Lauer, Bettina Rockenbach, Arne Weiss Summary: This study investigates the effects of others’ time preferences on the subjects’ decisions for a group. A lab-in-the-field experiment with Thai coastal villagers was conducted to elicit time preferences. First, the participants decide for themselves and results show that on average, their choices show a present bias. The participants then decide for a group that include themselves. Prior to this decision, the participants are informed about the choices that the other members made in the individual setting. Results show that the choices made for the group are significantly less present-biased. The mechanism driving this result is that the information about a more patient member is more influential than the information about a less patient member. This study also examines the relationship between intertemporal decisions and conservation. A mangrove-planting activity was organized to observe the participants’ actual contribution to a conservation activity. The number of mangrove seeds planted and the participants’ membership status in a conservation group were used as proxies for their individual conservation decisions. Results suggest that less present-biased participants contribute more to the planting activity and seem to be more likely to be members of the conservation group, although conservation decisions are unrelated to the villagers’ long-run discounting. Research Report: DownloadPolicy Brief: DownloadCountry: ThailandPublication Year: 2016Research Areas: Behavioral Economics and Social CapitalResearch Topic: Cooperative Behavior, Public Good and TrustAnalytical Framework: Behavioral/Experimental Economics How the Risk Attitudes of Small-Scale Households Drive Forest Carbon Sequestration Supply: A Risk Experiment in ChinaTourism in Marine Protected Areas: Experiences from Nha Trang Bay, Viet Nam
Summary: This study investigates the effects of others’ time preferences on the subjects’ decisions for a group. A lab-in-the-field experiment with Thai coastal villagers was conducted to elicit time preferences. First, the participants decide for themselves and results show that on average, their choices show a present bias. The participants then decide for a group that include themselves. Prior to this decision, the participants are informed about the choices that the other members made in the individual setting. Results show that the choices made for the group are significantly less present-biased. The mechanism driving this result is that the information about a more patient member is more influential than the information about a less patient member. This study also examines the relationship between intertemporal decisions and conservation. A mangrove-planting activity was organized to observe the participants’ actual contribution to a conservation activity. The number of mangrove seeds planted and the participants’ membership status in a conservation group were used as proxies for their individual conservation decisions. Results suggest that less present-biased participants contribute more to the planting activity and seem to be more likely to be members of the conservation group, although conservation decisions are unrelated to the villagers’ long-run discounting.