Treating the Field as a Lab: A Baisc Guide to Conducting Economics Experiments for Policymaking

Angelino C.G. Viceisza

ISBN 10: 0896297969 / ISBN 13: 9780896297968

Published by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 2012

About this Item

Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

Seller Inventory # G0896297969I4N10

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Treating the Field as a Lab: A Baisc Guide to Conducting Economics Experiments for Policymaking
• Publisher: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
• Publication Date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0896297969
• ISBN 13: 9780896297968
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
• Weight: 0.59 pounds

About this title

Synopsis

As conducting various types of experiments becomes a more popular component of economics research, understanding the experimental method becomes more important for policymakers and others concerned with economics issues. In Treating the Field as a Lab: A Basic Guide to Conducting Economics Experiments for Policymaking, Angelino Viceisza addresses this need by explaining some basic, non-exhaustive principles on how to conduct lab-like field experiments and describing the strengths and weaknesses of these types of experiment. Lab-like field experiments have primarily been conducted for four non-mutually exclusive purposes: 1. To test theories 2. To measure what have been considered “unobservable” characteristics 3. To disentangle heterogeneous effects of experiment treatments 4. To demonstrate economics concepts to those who are less familiar with them Unlike pure lab experiments, whose subjects are typically university students, lab-like field experiments involve people in the working world, such as farmers, traders, or firm managers, who take time from their daily lives to participate. Nevertheless, these experiments are conducted under more controlled conditions than a pure field experiment that might test people’s everyday behavior. Being less complicated than such field experiments, lab-like field experiments serve as good introductions to the experimental method while at the same time providing insights into more complex tests. Treating the Field as a Lab provides examples of lab-like field experiments, explains their basic rationale and methods, reviews the role of game theory in conducting these experiments, and discusses the challenges in deriving public policies from these experiments.

About the Author

Angelino C. G. Viceisza was a research fellow in the Markets, Trade, and Institutions Division of the International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, at the time he wrote this work. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Economics of Spelman College, Atlanta.