Doping to Underperform: The Impact of Coffee Consumption on Test Scores

Rafael J. Santos (), Angela González (), Kevin López (), Juan A. Paez (), María Camila Rivera () and Paula Sarmiento

No 16194, Documentos CEDE from Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE

Abstract: We report results of an experiment that randomly distributed coffee and an herbal infusion with no caffeine to students before a non-experimental midterm (ie: with real incentives). Coffee consumption decreases test scores. This is driven by students who are not habituated to consume coffee and who self-report feeling nervous in similar tests. Regular coffee drinkers do not seem to benefit or lose from coffee consumption except if they are coffee-deprived the day of the exam (in which case they perform worse, consistent with the withdrawal reversal hypothesis).

Keywords: Caffeine; Test-Scores (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A22 I12 I20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 32
Date: 2018-02-13
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:col:000089:016194

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