Choosing to Be Trained: Do Behavioral Traits Matter?

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

No 8581, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: In this paper, we examine the determinants of self-selection into a vocational training program in India. To do this we combine data from an artefactual field experiment with survey data collected from the targeted community. We find that applicants and non-applicants differ in terms of socio-economic characteristics (measured using a survey), as well as selected behavioral traits (elicited using an artefactual field experiment). Even after controlling for a range of socio-economic characteristics, we find that individuals who have higher tolerance for risk, and are more competitive, are more likely to apply to the training program. This suggests that focusing only on the socio-economic and demographic characteristics might not be sufficient to fully explain selection into the program. Participants' behavioral traits are also crucial in influencing take up rates in such programs. Our results suggest that as a methodology, there is valuable information to be gained by dissecting the black box of unobservables using data on behavioral traits.

Keywords: artefactual field experiment; behavioral traits; household survey; selection; training program (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C81 C93 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 47 pages
Date: 2014-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-exp and nep-lma
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Published - published in: Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 2015, 110, 145-159.

Downloads: (external link)
https://docs.iza.org/dp8581.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Choosing to be trained: Do behavioral traits matter? (2015)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8581

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
IZA, Margard Ody, P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) IZA, P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Holger Hinte ().