Peers at work: Evidence from the lab

Journal article | Zeitschriftenartikel

This paper reports the results of a lab experiment designed to study the role of observability for peer effects in the setting of a simple production task. In our experiment, participants in the role of workers engage in a team real-effort task. We vary whether they can observe, or be observed by, one of their co-workers. In contrast to earlier findings from the field, we find no evidence that low-productivity workers perform better when they are observed by high-productivity co-workers. Instead, our results imply that peer effects in our experiment are heterogeneous, with some workers reciprocating a high-productivity co-worker but others taking the opportunity to free ride.

Object Details

• ISSN: 1932-6203
• Extent: Seite(n): 1-15
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Status: Veröffentlichungsversion; begutachtet (peer reviewed)

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: PLOS ONE, 13(2)

Classification and Topics

• Subject: Wirtschaft ; Wirtschaftswissenschaften

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Veldhuizen, Roel van ; Oosterbeek, Hessel ; Sonnemans, Joep
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika
• (when): 2018

Further information

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192038
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/175846
• Rights: GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Bibliothek Köln
• Last update: 21.06.2024, 4:26 PM CEST