Los Angeles Behavioral Economics Laboratory

Why are the results of experimental studies increasingly scrutinized? We criticize statistical methods for insufficient use of power analysis, too much emphasis on p-values in the interpretation of results, and careless implementation of multiple hypothesis testing. Could these criticisms stem from an inability of inferential statistics to provide confidence in a hypothesis based on the data? Do we concentrate too much on the odds of the data given a hypothesis? Are we using ...arbitrary rules to make conclusions in favor or against a hypothesis? We could potentially resolve these issues if we strengthen the existing rules or use Bayesian approaches. In our latest publication, we discuss where inferential statistics fail and whether new methods hold any limitations. Read our full paper here: https://drive.google.com//12GZz7VeZFSymnFo3MZc7_-8Eb7/view #statistics #statisticalmethods #statisticalinference #inferences #pvalues #replicability #poweranalysis #inferentialstatistics #hypothesistesting #data #dataanalysis #bayesian #bayesianstatistics #observations #economics #behavioralscience #behaviouraleconomics #label #behavioural #choice #experiments #research #behavioraleconomics #experiments

Decision-making abilities evolve and fully develop when a child enters adulthood. Children, just like adults, make decisions daily, but the following questions remain: Are these decisions considered rational? Do fairness and honesty contribute to decision-making in children? In one of our first features in the LABEL High School Journal, senior Karoune Kossayan discusses the development of social behavior in children and teenagers. Kossayan analyzes two studies conducted by LA...BEL to answer these questions. She finds that while decision-making in social contexts progressively develops, some aspects of it are hard-wired and do not change over time. Read her full article here: https://drive.google.com//1Jt0pqFnCS-jApdWwxK02yKVNwP/view #economics #behavioralscience #behaviouraleconomics #label #behavioural #choice #experiments #research #behavioraleconomics #socialdecisions #sociallearning #decisionmaking #fairness #honesty #socialbehavior

How do children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) play social games compared to normally developing children? Decisions in situations that require theory of mind likely differ in children with ASD. In one of our first features in the LABEL High School Journal, senior Rhea Baba discusses how decision-making differs in children and teens with ASD. Baba explores the neural mechanisms that dictate behavioral traits in ASD. She relates these aspects to a recent study that explores social decisions in the dictator game and the ultimatum game. Read her full article here: https://drive.google.com//1jlG7GJwKyWFW5XbWz3_t59uF8C/view #autismspectrumdisorder #autism #economics #behavioralscience #behaviouraleconomics #label #behavioural #choice #experiments #research #behavioraleconomics #socialdecisions #sociallearning

We are excited to launch the LABEL High School Journal (HSJ). Our high school trainees have come together to curate a publication of short articles concerning the research conducted in the lab. The HSJ prepares trainees to think like researchers by synthesizing knowledge and sharing new ideas and perspectives on various topics around decision-making. Find our HSJ articles here: https://sites.google.com//label-traini/high-school-journal #economics #behavioralscience #behaviouraleconomics #label #behavioural #choice #experiments #research #behavioraleconomics

How a fundamental research approach can guide our understanding of other-regarding concerns such as empathy and generosity and help predict human behavior? This was the topic of the LABEL’s remote internship program hosted with seniors from the Lycée International de Los Angeles. Rhea Baba and Karoune Kossayan focused on the relationship between our biological makeup, such as genetics and neural pathways, and social preferences. Emma Levi studied how cultural factors affect f...airness norms and other-regarding behavior across societies. Arthur Acker worked on the mathematical foundations of inequality aversion and reciprocal preferences, models used to predict social and economic outcomes. We are proud of our collaboration with them! Their work contributes to LABEL’s research dissemination platforms. Do check out their work here: Cultural factors: https://drive.google.com//1wMk9y_01qjAIS72RY5dwGM_mpa/view Biological factors: https://drive.google.com//1yZXV93MY6vCIa0Hx60RQyhsFiG/view Mathematical Modeling: https://drive.google.com//13_5pTKmB6zSw4QI6FcpqbVcA0r/view

Inequality has been prevalent and important for a long time, but its effects on people have been magnified in the current times forcing us to look at the disparity with renewed vigor and a fresh set of eyes. A very significant question is if the United States of America is still living up to its promises as a land of opportunities. At LABEL, we are starting to investigate, at a small scale, the effects of disparities among our pre-adult subjects on the developmental patterns ...of choices in our experiments. In the pursuit of answers at a larger scale, we examine the current literature covering many aspects of inequality and its impacts in the USA. Our extensive report summarizes research work, general statistics, and historical trends in the domains of income, wealth, health, and educational inequality. We conclude that inequality is more significant now than before and gaps are getting wider when zooming in on features like gender, race, and geography. Also covered in the report are a few causes of worsening inequality and the role of policies, laws, and regulations in dealing with it. Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/gHEMtSD #economics #behavioralscience #behaviouraleconomics #label #behavioural #choice #experiments #research #behavioraleconomics #inequality