Choosing to be Trained: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Utteeyo Dasgupta, Subha Mani, Lata Gangadharan (), Pushkar Maitra and Samyukta Subramanian
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Samyukta Subramanian: Pratham

Fordham Economics Discussion Paper Series from Fordham University, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper combines unique experimental and survey data to examine the determinants of self-selection into a training program. Women residing in selected disadvantaged areas in New Delhi, India were invited to apply for a six-month long subsidized training program in stitching and tailoring. A random subset of applicants and non-applicants to the training program were invited to participate in an artefactual field experiment and in a detailed socio-economic survey. We find that applicants and non-applicants differ both in terms of socio-economic characteristics (elicited through survey data), and behavioral traits (elicited using a field experiment). Identifying these characteristics can help policy-makers design and promote programs so as to make them more appealing to the target group, and thus improve take-up rates. Our results also suggest that as a methodology, there is valuable information to be gained by dissecting the black box of unobservables using behavioral data from experiments.

Keywords: Selection; Field Experiment; Household Survey; Risk; Competition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C81 C93 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Working Paper: Choosing to be Trained: Evidence from a Field Experiment (2012)
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