Journals / Ekonomi Politika ve Finans Araştırmaları Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 8 Sayı: 3

Real-Effort Tasks in Laboratory Experiments

Laboratuvar Deneylerinde Gerçek-Emek Görevleri

Burak Kağan Demirtaş(ABDULLAH GÜL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-9477-8128
Pages
440–466
Publication Date
2023-09-30
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

While the learning effect and boredom may cause problems especially in within-subject designs, it was found that differences in the abilities of participants may cause measurement errors especially in between-subject designs.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Laboratory experiments used in economics are differentiated in terms of many technical features.
📊
Key Findings & Data:A real-effort task can be defined as a task in which the experiment participants work on a real job during the experiment, spend time and effort, determine their performance level and as a result earn a certain amount of money.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:While the learning effect and boredom may cause problems especially in within-subject designs, it was found that differences in the abilities of participants may cause measurement errors especially in between-subject designs.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Laboratuvar Deneyleri · Gerçek-Emek Görevi · Deneysel Ekonomi

Abstract

Laboratory experiments used in economics are differentiated in terms of many technical features. One of these technical features is whether the experiment involves a real-effort task. A real-effort task can be defined as a task in which the experiment participants work on a real job during the experiment, spend time and effort, determine their performance level and as a result earn a certain amount of money. This study aims to examine real-effort tasks that are frequently used in experimental economics studies, and to discuss potential problems that researchers may face when conducting experiments with real-effort tasks. Within the scope of this review, real-effort tasks commonly used in the literature are categorized under four groups: real-effort tasks based on mathematical operations, puzzles, slider task, and word encryption tasks. Choice of the real-effort task is important for an experimental study because it may lead to misinterpretation of the findings. As a result of the study, the learning effect, the boredom of the task and the abilities required by the task are seen as possible sources of measurement error. While the learning effect and boredom may cause problems especially in within-subject designs, it was found that differences in the abilities of participants may cause measurement errors especially in between-subject designs.

Özet

Ekonomi biliminde kullanılan laboratuvar deneyleri birçok teknik özellik bakımından birbirinden farklılaştırılmaktadır. Bu teknik özelliklerden biri de deneyin gerçek-emek görevi içerip içermediğidir. Gerçek-emek görevi, deney katılımcılarının deney esnasında gerçek bir iş üzerinde çalıştıkları, zaman ve emek harcadıkları ve bu şekilde performans seviyelerini belirledikleri, sonucunda belirli bir miktarda para kazandıkları görev olarak açıklanmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı deneysel ekonomi çalışmalarında sıklıkla kullanılan gerçek-emek görevlerini incelemek ve gerçek-emek görevi içeren deney yürütecek araştırmacıların karşılaşabilecekleri olası sorunları tartışmaktır. Bu inceleme kapsamında, literatürde sıkça kullanılan gerçek-emek görevleri dört başlık altında toplanmıştır: Matematiksel işlemlere dayalı gerçek-emek görevleri, bulmaca tarzındaki gerçek-emek görevleri, kaydırma çubuğu görevi ve kelime şifreleme görevi. Deney için hangi gerçek-emek görevinin seçildiği çalışmanın sonuçları açısından önemlidir zira sonuçların hatalı şekilde yorumlanmasına sebebiyet verebilme ihtimali vardır. Çalışma sonucunda, öğrenme etkisi, görevin sıkıcılığı ve görevin gerektirdiği yetenekler yaşanabilecek olası ölçme hatalarının kaynağı olarak görülmektedir. Öğrenme etkisi ve görevin sıkıcılığı özellikle denek-içi tasarımlarda problemlere sebebiyet verebilirken, yetenek farklılıklarının ise özellikle denekler-arası tasarımlarda ölçme hatalarına neden olabileceği bulgularına ulaşılmıştır.

🔖

Cite This Article

Demirtaş, B. K. (2023). Real-Effort Tasks in Laboratory Experiments. Ekonomi Politika ve Finans Araştırmaları Dergisi, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 3, 440–466. https://doi.org/10.30784/epfad.1293518

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (53)

  1. Abeler, J., Falk, A., Goette, L. and Huffman, D. (2011). Reference points and effort provision. The American Economic Review, 101(2), 470-492. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.101.2.470
  2. Ariely, D., Gneezy, U., Loewenstein, G. and Mazar, N. (2009). Large stakes and big mistakes. The Review of Economic Studies, 76(2), 451-469. https://doi.org/0034-6527/09/00160451$02.00
  3. Augenblick, N., Niederle, M. and Sprenger, C. (2015). Working over time: Dynamic inconsistency in real effort tasks. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 130(3), 1067-1115. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjv020
  4. Basılgan, M. (2013). İktisat ve deneysel yöntem: Deneyler, tartışmalar ve geleceği. İÜ Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi Dergisi, 48, 61-89. Erişim adresi: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/iusiyasal/
  5. Becker, W., Büchner, H.J. and Sleeking, S. (1987). The impact of public transfer expenditures on tax evasion. Journal of Public Economics, 34(2), 243-252. https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-2727(87)90022-3
  6. Benistant, J. and Villeval, M.C. (2019). Unethical behavior and group identity in contests. Journal of Economic Psychology, 72, 128-155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2019.03.001
  7. Benndorf, V., Rau, H.A. and Sölch, C. (2019). Minimizing learning in repeated real-effort tasks. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, 22, 239-248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbef.2019.04.002
  8. Bortolotti, S., Giovanna, D. and Ortmann, A. (2009). Exploring the effects of real effort in a weak-link experiment (CEEL Working Paper No. 0901). Retrieved from https://www- ceel.economia.unitn.it/papers/papero09_01.pdf
  9. Brown, A.L., Meer, J. and Williams, J.F. (2019). Why do people volunteer? An experimental analysis of preferences for time donations. Management Science, 65(4), 1455-1468. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2017.2951
  10. Cardenas, J.C., and Carpenter, J.P. (2005). Three themes on field experiments and economic development. In G.W. Harrison, J. Carpenter and J.A. List (Eds.), Field experiments in economics (pp. 71-123). UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
  11. Carpenter, J. and Huet-Vaughn, E. (2019). Real-effort tasks. In A. Schram and A. Ule (Eds.), Handbook of research methods and applications in experimental economics (pp. 368-383). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
  12. Charness, G. and Kuhn, P. (2007). Does pay inequality affect worker effort? Experimental evidence. Journal of Labor Economics, 25(4), 693-723. https://doi.org/10.1086/519540
  13. Charness, G. and Kuhn, P. (2011). Lab labor: What can labor economists learn from the lab? (NBER Working Paper Series No. 15913). Retrieved from https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w15913/w15913.pdf
  14. Charness, G. and Villeval, M.C. (2009). Cooperation and competition in intergenerational experiments in the field and the laboratory. The American Economic Review, 99(3), 956-978. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.99.3.956
  15. Charness, G., Gneezy, U. and Henderson, A. (2018). Experimental methods: Measuring effort in economics experiments. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 149, 74-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2018.02.024
  16. Cherry, T.L., Frykblom, P. and Shogren, J.F. (2002). Hardnose the dictator. American Economic Review, 92(4), 1218–1221. https://doi.org/10.1257/00028280260344740
  17. Choo, C.Y.L., Fonseca, M.A. and Myles, G.D. (2016). Do students behave like real taxpayers in the lab? Evidence from a real effort tax compliance experiment. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 124, 102-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2015.09.015
  18. Corgnet, B., Hérnan-Gonzalez, R. and Rassenti, S.J. (2011.). Real effort, real leisure and real-time supervision: Incentives and peer pressure in virtual organizations (Chapman University Working Paper No. 11-05). Retrieved from https://www.chapman.edu/ESI/wp/Corgnet-Hernan-Rassenti_%20RealEffortRealLeisure.pdf
  19. Dato, S. and Nieken, P. (2014). Gender differences in competition and sabotage. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 100, 64-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2014.01.012
  20. Demirtaş, B.K. (2021a). Vergi uyumu davranışı ve laboratuvar deneyleri: Bir yazın taraması. Maliye Dergisi, 180, 115-143. Erişim adresi: https://ms.hmb.gov.tr/
  21. Demirtaş, B.K. (2021b). Deneysel çalışma ekonomisi: İşgücü arzı ve hediye-değişim teorisi üzerine bir literatür taraması. M. Yiğit ve A. Yiğit (Ed.), İktisadi konulara davranışsal yaklaşım içinde (s. 59-91). Ankara: Gazi Kitabevi.
  22. Dibo, M., Seçilmiş, E. ve Güran, M.C. (2018). Deneysel iktisatta ödül mekanizmasının rolü: Parasal teşvik ve ders notu karşılaştırması. Finans Politik ve Ekonomik Yorumlar, 636, 37-46. Erişim adresi: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/fpeyd/
  23. Doerrenberg, P. and Duncan, D. (2014). Experimental evidence on the relationship between tax evasion opportunities and labor supply. European Economic Review, 68, 48-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2014.02.005
  24. Dohmen, T. and Falk, A. (2011). Performance pay and multidimensional sorting: Productivity, preferences, and gender. The American Economic Review, 101(2), 556-590. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.101.2.556
  25. Drouvelis, M. and Paiardini, P. (2022). Feedback quality and performance in organisations. The Leadership Quarterly, 33(6), 101534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2021.101534
  26. Engel, C. (2011). Dictator games: A meta study. Experimental Economics, 14, 583-610. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10683-011-9283-7
  27. Eriksson, T., Poulsen, A. and Villeval, M.C. (2009). Feedback and incentives: Experimental evidence. Labour Economics, 16(6), 679-688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2009.08.006
  28. Erkal, N., Gangadharan, L. and Koh, B.H. (2018). Monetary and non-monetary incentives in real-effort tournaments. European Economic Review, 101, 528-545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2017.10.021
  29. Erkal, N., Gangadharan, L. and Nikiforakis, N. (2009). Relative earnings and giving in a real-effort experiment (Department of Economics, University of Melbourne Research Paper No. 1067). Retrieved from https://fbe.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/801131/1067.pdf
  30. Falk, A. and Fehr, E. (2003). Why labour market experiments? Labour Economics, 10, 399-406. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0927-5371(03)00050-2
  31. Freeman, R.B. and Gelber, A.M. (2010). Prize structure and information in tournaments: Experimental evidence. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2(1), 149-164. https://doi.org/10.1257/app.2.1.149
  32. Georganas, S., Tonin, M. and Vlassopoulos, M. (2015). Peer pressure and productivity: The role of observing and being observed. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 117, 223-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2015.06.014
  33. Gill, D. and Prowse, V. (2012). A structural analysis of disappointment aversion in a real effort competition. The American Economic Review, 102(1), 469-503. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.102.1.469
  34. Gill, D. and Prowse, V. (2019). Measuring costly effort using the slider task. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, 21, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbef.2018.11.003
  35. Gill, D., Prowse, V. and Vlassopoulos, M. (2013). Cheating in the workplace: An experimental study of the impact of bonuses and productivity. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 96, 120- 134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2013.09.011
  36. Gneezy, U., Niederle, M. and Rustichini, A. (2003). Performance in competitive environments: Gender differences. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 118(3), 1049-1074. https://doi.org/10.1162/00335530360698496
  37. Guala, F. (2012). Experimentation in economics. Philosophy of Economics, 786, 597-640. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-51676-3.50021-X
  38. Heyman, J. and Ariely, D. (2004). Effort for payment: A tale of two markets. Psychological Science, 15(11), 787-793. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0956-7976.2004.00757.x
  39. Hoffmann, C., Hoppe, J.A. and Ziemann, N. (2022). Faster, harder, greener? Empirical evidence on the role of the individual pace of life for productivity and pro-environmental behavior. Ecological Economics, 191, 107212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107212
  40. Imas, A., Sadoff, S. and Samek, A. (2017). Do people anticipate loss aversion? Management Science, 63(5), 1271-1284. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2402
  41. Jitsophon, S. (2015). Windfall money, earned money, and all-pay auction: An experimental investigation. Osaka Economics Paper, 64(4), 72- 90. https://doi.org/10.18910/57133 Ku, H. and Salmon, T.C. (2012). The incentive effects of inequality: An experimental investigation. Southern Economic Journal, 79(1), 46-70. https://doi.org/10.4284/0038-4038-79.1.46
  42. Lezzi, E., Fleming, P. and Zizzo, D.J. (2015). Does it matter which effort task you use? A comparison of four effort tasks when agents compete for a prize (SSRN Working Papers No. 2594659). Retrieved from https://ssrn.com/abstract=2594659
  43. Li, H., Liang, J., Xu, H. and Liu, Y. (2019). Does windfall money encourage charitable giving? An experimental study. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 30(4), 841- 848. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-018-9985-y
  44. McDonald, I.M., Nikiforakis, N., Olekalns, N. and Sibly, H. (2013). Social comparisons and reference group formation: Some experimental evidence. Games and Economic Behavior, 79, 75-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geb.2012.12.003
  45. Mohnen, A., Pokorny, K. and Sliwka, D. (2008). Transparency, inequity aversion, and the dynamics of peer pressure in teams: Theory and evidence. Journal of Labor Economics, 26(4), 693-720. https://doi.org/10.1086/591116
  46. Muijs, D. (2004). Doing quantitative research in education with SPSS. London: SAGE Publications.
  47. Niederle, M. and Vesterlund, L. (2007). Do women shy away from competition? Do men compete too much? The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 122(3), 1067-1101. https://doi.org/10.1162/qjec.122.3.1067
  48. Nosenzo, D. (2013). Pay secrecy and effort provision. Economic Inquiry, 51, 1779-1794. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1465-7295.2012.00484.x
  49. Oxoby, R.J. and Spraggon, J. (2008). Mine and yours: Property rights in dictator games. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 65, 703–713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2005.12.006
  50. Parra, D., Muñoz-Herrera, M. and Palacio, L.A. (2021). The limits of transparency in reducing corruption. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 95, 101762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2021.101762
  51. Rutström, E.E. and Williams, M.B. (2000). Entitlements and fairness: An experimental study of distributive preferences. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 43(1), 75-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-2681(00)00109-8
  52. Shadish, W.R., Cook, T.D. and Campbell, D.T. (2002). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
  53. Yip, J.A., Schweitzer, M.E. and Nurmohamed, S. (2018). Trash-talking: Competitive incivility motivates rivalry, performance, and unethical behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 144, 125-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2017.06.002