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Destructive Behaviour, Judgement and Economic Decision-making under Thermal Stress

Author

Listed:
  • Ingvild Almås
  • Maximilian Auffhammer
  • Tessa Bold
  • Ian Bolliger
  • Aluma Dembo
  • Solomon M Hsiang
  • Shuhei Kitamura
  • Edward Miguel
  • Robert Pickmans

Abstract

Accumulating evidence indicates that environmental temperature substantially affects economic outcomes and violence, but the reasons for this linkage are only partially understood. We study whether temperature directly influences behaviour by evaluating the effect of thermal stress on multiple dimensions of economic decision-making, judgement and destructive behaviour with 2,000 participants in Kenya and the United States who were randomly assigned to different temperatures in a laboratory. The main finding is that most major dimensions of economic decision-making are unaffected by temperature. We also find that heat significantly increases willingness to voluntarily destroy other participants’ assets in the Kenyan sample.

Suggested Citation

  • Ingvild Almås & Maximilian Auffhammer & Tessa Bold & Ian Bolliger & Aluma Dembo & Solomon M Hsiang & Shuhei Kitamura & Edward Miguel & Robert Pickmans, 2025. "Destructive Behaviour, Judgement and Economic Decision-making under Thermal Stress," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 135(672), pages 2483-2508.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:135:y:2025:i:672:p:2483-2508.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/ueae116
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