Research Seminar Series on “Global Challenges” – Seda Ertaç (Koc University), 18th September 2025 at 12:15 p.m. (CEST)

Seda Ertaç (Koc University) on “Exposure to Competitive Performance Environments and Willingness to Compete” jointly organised by Centro Studi Luca d’Agliano, BAFFI and the Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods (University of Milan) in collaboration with the Dipartimento di Economia, Metodi Quantitativi e Strategie di Impresa (Università Milano Bicocca), the Dipartimento di Ingegneria Gestionale (Politecnico di Milano) and the Department of Economics of the University of Insubria.

The seminar will be held online on Thursday, 18th September 2025 at 12:15 p.m. (CEST): 

– Teams

Online meetings will be organised before and after the seminar: please select one option here (by 16th September).

Abstract:

We study the role of the type of incentives and interactions children are exposed to in the learning environment, in the formation of competitive preferences and gender differences therein. Specifically, we design and evaluate the effects of two educational interventions based on teaching elementary school students coding. One involves competitive incentives and dynamic relative performance feedback, and aims to give children experience with competition in a controlled environment. The other intervention gives the same educational content but with individualistic as opposed to competitive incentives. We report preliminary results on the effects of the interventions on the willingness to enter tournaments, gender gaps, and efficiency consequences.