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Time Pressure Preferences

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Buser

    (University of Amsterdam)

  • Roel van Veldhuizen

    (Lund University)

  • Yang Zhong

    (University of Amsterdam)

Abstract

Many professional and educational settings require individuals to be willing and able to perform under time pressure. We use a lab experiment to elicit preferences for working under time pressure in an incentivized way by eliciting the minimum additional payment participants require to complete a cognitive task under various levels of time pressure versus completing it without pressure. We make three main contributions. First, we document that participants are averse to working under time pressure on aggregate. Second, we show that there is substantial heterogeneity in the degree of time pressure aversion across individuals and that these individual preferences can be partially captured by simple survey questions. Third, we include these questions in a survey of bachelor students and show that time pressure preferences correlate with future career plans. Our results indicate that individual differences in time pressure aversion could be an influential factor in determining labor market outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Buser & Roel van Veldhuizen & Yang Zhong, 2022. "Time Pressure Preferences," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-054/I, Tinbergen Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20220054
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    1. Markus Nagler & Johannes Rincke & Erwin Winkler, 2022. "High-Pressure, High-Paying Jobs?," CESifo Working Paper Series 10102, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • D9 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior

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