Research – Gerhard Riener

Research Philosophy

My research integrates experimental methods with rigorous field studies to understand human decision-making in economic contexts. I believe that bridging controlled laboratory environments with real-world observations provides the most comprehensive insights into economic behavior.

By combining lab-experimental methods with large-scale field experiments, I seek to address both fundamental theoretical questions and practical policy challenges. This dual approach allows me to test economic theories with high internal validity while ensuring that findings have external validity and real-world applicability.

Research Themes

📈 Experimental Economics

Developing and applying experimental methods to test economic theories and understand behavioral patterns in controlled settings.

Laboratory experiments
Field experiments
Online experiments
Methodological innovations

🏢 Labor Economics

Investigating incentives, motivations, and structural factors that shape labor market outcomes and workplace behavior.

Performance appraisals
Affirmative action
Gender and leadership
Procedural preferences

❤️ Charitable Giving

Examining the psychological, social, and economic factors that influence philanthropic behavior and charitable donations.

Religious norms in giving
High-net-worth donor behavior
Substitution between charities
Household bargaining over giving

Current Projects

Narratives to Sustainable Agriculture: Evidence from Madagascar’s Vanilla Farmers

Funded by Volkswagen Foundation 2023-2026 With Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Viviana Uruena

This project examines how narratives can influence sustainable farming practices among vanilla farmers in Madagascar. Through a series of field experiments, we test the effectiveness of different messaging strategies in promoting environmentally sustainable agricultural methods.

Completion: 40%

Substitution between Charities

With David Reinstein (Maastricht)

Evidence from several experiments on how people substitute between charities and whether multiple charitable appeals create crowding in or crowding out of charitable contributions.

Completion: 75%

Behavioral Insights into Pension Savings

With Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Sebastian Schneider (MPI Bonn)

Surveys and lab-in-the-field experiments in Bogota, Colombia, exploring financial decision-making, well-being, and cognitive ability across 1200 subjects. 600 participants also completed experiments on higher-order risk preferences.

Completion: 60%

Research Timeline

2025

Affective Polarization Research

In progress: Major study on how economic factors influence political polarization.

2023-2024

Field Experiments in Public Sector

Conducted research on performance appraisals and moral costs of control.

2021-2022

Gender and Leadership Studies

Field experiments in matrilineal and patriarchic societies in India.

2019-2020

Concentration Bias Research

Published findings on intertemporal choice and concentration bias in the Review of Economic Studies.

2014-2015

Charitable Giving in Islamic Contexts

Field experiments in Morocco examining religious norms in charitable giving.

2010-2013

Desert and Tangibility Effects

Experimental research on decomposing effects in charitable giving.

Working Papers

Reacting to ambiguous messages with Christian Kellner and Mark LeQuement (accepted at Games and Economic Behavior)
Loss Aversion in Social Image Concerns with Petrishcheva and Schildberg-Hörisch (accepted in Experimental Economics)
Household Bargaining over Prosocial Decisions: Evidence from Egypt with Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Ghida Karbala
Until the debt will tear us apart: the rise of affective polarisation with Roula Nezi (Surrey), Ann-Kathrin Reinl (Munich), and Alexia Katsanidou (Cologne)
Procedural Preferences in Competitive Environments: Lab-in-the-Field Evidence from Madagascar with Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Viviana Uruena
Addressing Validity and Generalizability Concerns in Field Experiments with Sebastian Schneider (MPI Bonn) and Valentin Wagner, link
Hidden moral costs of control: Field evidence from performance appraisals in the public sector with Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen), Jan Priebe and Dewi Susanti, under review
Affirmative action and application strategies with Ritwik Banerjee, Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Soham Sahoo
Gender and Leadership: Experiments in Matrilineal and Patriarchic Societies in India with Debosree Banerjee, Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Meike Wollni

--- title: "Research" format: html: css: styles.css --- ## Research Philosophy ::: {.callout-note appearance="minimal" .philosophy-section} My research integrates experimental methods with rigorous field studies to understand human decision-making in economic contexts. I believe that bridging controlled laboratory environments with real-world observations provides the most comprehensive insights into economic behavior. By combining lab-experimental methods with large-scale field experiments, I seek to address both fundamental theoretical questions and practical policy challenges. This dual approach allows me to test economic theories with high internal validity while ensuring that findings have external validity and real-world applicability. ::: ## Research Themes ::: {.grid} ::: {.g-col-4 .theme} ::: {.card} ### 📈 Experimental Economics Developing and applying experimental methods to test economic theories and understand behavioral patterns in controlled settings. - Laboratory experiments - Field experiments - Online experiments - Methodological innovations ::: ::: ::: {.g-col-4 .theme} ::: {.card} ### 🏢 Labor Economics Investigating incentives, motivations, and structural factors that shape labor market outcomes and workplace behavior. - Performance appraisals - Affirmative action - Gender and leadership - Procedural preferences ::: ::: ::: {.g-col-4 .theme} ::: {.card} ### ❤️ Charitable Giving Examining the psychological, social, and economic factors that influence philanthropic behavior and charitable donations. - Religious norms in giving - High-net-worth donor behavior - Substitution between charities - Household bargaining over giving ::: ::: ::: ## Current Projects ::: {.grid} ::: {.g-col-12 .project} ::: {.card} ### Narratives to Sustainable Agriculture: Evidence from Madagascar's Vanilla Farmers ::: {.badges} [Funded by Volkswagen Foundation]{.badge .bg-primary} [2023-2026]{.badge .bg-info} [With Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Viviana Uruena]{.badge .bg-secondary} ::: This project examines how narratives can influence sustainable farming practices among vanilla farmers in Madagascar. Through a series of field experiments, we test the effectiveness of different messaging strategies in promoting environmentally sustainable agricultural methods. ::: {.completion} **Completion: 40%** ::: ::: ::: ::: {.g-col-6 .project} ::: {.card} ### Substitution between Charities ::: {.badges} [With David Reinstein (Maastricht)]{.badge .bg-secondary} ::: Evidence from several experiments on how people substitute between charities and whether multiple charitable appeals create crowding in or crowding out of charitable contributions. ::: {.completion} **Completion: 75%** ::: ::: ::: ::: {.g-col-6 .project} ::: {.card} ### Behavioral Insights into Pension Savings ::: {.badges} [With Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Sebastian Schneider (MPI Bonn)]{.badge .bg-secondary} ::: Surveys and lab-in-the-field experiments in Bogota, Colombia, exploring financial decision-making, well-being, and cognitive ability across 1200 subjects. 600 participants also completed experiments on higher-order risk preferences. ::: {.completion} **Completion: 60%** ::: ::: ::: ::: ## Research Timeline ::: {.timeline} ::: {.timeline-item} #### 2025 {.timeline-date} **Affective Polarization Research** In progress: Major study on how economic factors influence political polarization. ::: ::: {.timeline-item} #### 2023-2024 {.timeline-date} **Field Experiments in Public Sector** Conducted research on performance appraisals and moral costs of control. ::: ::: {.timeline-item} #### 2021-2022 {.timeline-date} **Gender and Leadership Studies** Field experiments in matrilineal and patriarchic societies in India. ::: ::: {.timeline-item} #### 2019-2020 {.timeline-date} **Concentration Bias Research** Published findings on intertemporal choice and concentration bias in the Review of Economic Studies. ::: ::: {.timeline-item} #### 2014-2015 {.timeline-date} **Charitable Giving in Islamic Contexts** Field experiments in Morocco examining religious norms in charitable giving. ::: ::: {.timeline-item} #### 2010-2013 {.timeline-date} **Desert and Tangibility Effects** Experimental research on decomposing effects in charitable giving. ::: ::: ## Working Papers ::: {.papers} - *Reacting to ambiguous messages* with Christian Kellner and Mark LeQuement (accepted at Games and Economic Behavior) - *Loss Aversion in Social Image Concerns* with Petrishcheva and Schildberg-Hörisch (accepted in Experimental Economics) - *Household Bargaining over Prosocial Decisions: Evidence from Egypt* with Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Ghida Karbala - *Until the debt will tear us apart: the rise of affective polarisation* with Roula Nezi (Surrey), Ann-Kathrin Reinl (Munich), and Alexia Katsanidou (Cologne) - *Procedural Preferences in Competitive Environments: Lab-in-the-Field Evidence from Madagascar* with Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Viviana Uruena - *Addressing Validity and Generalizability Concerns in Field Experiments* with Sebastian Schneider (MPI Bonn) and Valentin Wagner, [link](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3637868) - *Hidden moral costs of control: Field evidence from performance appraisals in the public sector* with Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen), Jan Priebe and Dewi Susanti, under review - *Affirmative action and application strategies* with Ritwik Banerjee, Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Soham Sahoo - *Gender and Leadership: Experiments in Matrilineal and Patriarchic Societies in India* with Debosree Banerjee, Marcela Ibanez (Göttingen) and Meike Wollni :::