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Catherine C. Eckel

Texas A&M University, USA

IZA World of Labor role

Author

Current position

University Distinguished Professor, Texas A&M University, USA

Research interest

Gender economics, behavioral economics

Website

https://liberalarts.tamu.edu/economics/profile/catherine-eckel/

Positions/functions as a policy advisor

Program Director at the National Science Foundation (NSF), member of the Advisory Committee of NSF

Past positions

Ashbel Smith Professor of Economics, University of Texas at Dallas, USA (2005–2012); Director, Center for Behavioral and Experimental Economic Science, University of Texas at Dallas, USA (2007–2012); Professor of Economics, Virginia Tech, USA (1998–2005)

Qualifications

PhD Economics, University of Virginia, 1983

Selected publications

  • “Common identity and the voluntary provision of public goods: An experimental investigation.” Journal of Economics Behavior and Organization (2017) (with S. X. Li and A. de Oliveira).

  • “Hidden vs. known gender effects in experimental asset markets.” Economics Letters 15 (2017): 7–9 (with S. C. Fullibrunn).

  • "Comparing rebate and matching subsidies controlling for donors' awareness: Evidence from the field." Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics 66 (2017): 88–95 (with P. Grossman).

  • “Loving the long shot: Risk taking with skewed lotteries.” Journal of Risk and Uncertainty 51:3 (2015): 195–217 (with P. Grossman).

article(s)

  • Measuring individual risk preferences

    Incentivized measures are considered to be the gold standard in measuring individuals’ risk preferences, but is that correct?

    Catherine C. Eckel, June 2019
    Risk aversion is an important factor in many settings, including individual decisions about investment or occupational choice, and government choices about policies affecting environmental, industrial, or health risks. Risk preferences are measured using surveys or incentivized games with real consequences. Reviewing the different approaches to measuring individual risk aversion shows that the best approach will depend on the question being asked and the study's target population. In particular, economists’ gold standard of incentivized games may not be superior to surveys in all settings.
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