Do prize-linked incentives promote positive financial behavior? Evidence from a debt reduction intervention

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Burke, Jeremy
• 署名单位: University of Southern California
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2021.104534
• 发表日期: 2021
• 关键词: Prize-linked incentives; debt; household finance

摘要

We conduct the first field experiment examining whether prize-linked incentives can be effective in promoting debt reduction by randomizing access among 6,907 borrowers in a debt management plan. We find strong take-up of the program and that takers were timelier with repayment and paid off more debt. However, average treatment effect estimates for on-time payments, programmatic dropout, and debt levels (46.7 dollars, 95% CI = [-$132, $225], control mean = $11,558) are all precise zeros. Our results suggest that despite strong interest and positive correlations, prize-linked incentives may not modify debt repayment behavior and may simply attract individuals who are ex-ante likely to repay. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.