Stress and decision-making in a Developing world context
Name
881181586-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
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812.75 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
e106ed1b7bd1fe5b93fdf84223956333
Author(s)
Devani, Amal
Advisor(s)
Drazen Prelec.
Date Issued
2014
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This paper gauges the effect of physiological stress on time preference in the urban poor from informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Using a standardized psychosocial stress challenge (the Trier social stress test (TSST)) to induce stress in a randomized setting, we attempt to estimate the effect of stress on decision making with incentive-compatible outcomes. While demonstrating discounting patterns similar to other research in the developed world, this current study finds some interesting results on the effect of stress on time preferences, but only in later periods. The study interprets this data and suggests methodological improvements and further ideas for this promising area of study.
Description
Thesis: S.M. in Management Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2014.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 23-25).
Subjects
Sloan School of Management.
MIT Department
Sloan School of Management
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