Abstract
This article evaluates the impact of loss aversion as a behavioral motivator on students' classroom performance. Conducting an experiment with University of Kentucky undergraduate students, the authors framed student grades as a loss and gain. In treatment sections, the students began with full marks and lost points as the semester progressed, whereas in control sections, under a traditional grading scheme, students accumulated points throughout the semester. We find that treated individuals, on average, do not have a statistically different final grade than individuals in the control class. However, we uncover a heterogeneous gender effect. On average, a male in the treatment class scores between 3.17 and 4.05 percentage points higher on the final grade than a male in the control class, ceteris paribus. Conversely, a female in the treatment class scores between 3.61 and 4.36 percentage points lower on the final grade than a comparable female in the control class.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 980-994 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Southern Economic Journal |
Volume | 81 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 1 2015 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2015 by the Southern Economic Association.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics and Econometrics