Our Best Chance to Make Real Change? Scalable Ideas with Private Partners That is the title of my discussion this afternoon with a group of University of Chicago students. Slides are here, which include a field experiment with airline pilots and scaling insights: ideas.repec.org/p/feb/natura...

Shout out to @johnlist.bsky.social, @gubri.bsky.social and Sabrina Liu on this work! I'm personally particularly pumped that @beckerfriedman.bsky.social will be helping build on these findings!

Introducing SPEAK—a scalable, computer-adaptive tool to measure knowledge of early human development. By Gaudreau, Levine, @johnlist.bsky.social & @drdanasuskind.bsky.social, it identifies knowledge gaps to guide targeted interventions and improve child outcomes. ow.ly/fzOk50XbjrG

**NEW STUDY ALERT** Parents want to help their children succeed. But what if they don't know what they don't know? Yet we've lacked a comprehensive, scalable tool to quickly assess what parents and educators know—and where their knowledge gaps lie. We have one now: ideas.repec.org/p/feb/artefa...

The econ PhD market will be difficult this year. The exact same thing happened when I went on the market years ago: I sent out 150 applications...and got 1 interview! Then I wrote a paper about it! ideas.repec.org/p/feb/natura... Both sides of the market responded. Is this happening now too?

Last night's conversation about AI's strain on our energy grid led us to the classic tragedy of the commons problem. When asked what single change could help, my answer was immediate: "Put women in charge." And I have some field experimental evidence to back it up! ideas.repec.org/p/feb/artefa...

Just chatted with some pre-docs heading to the grad school market. They all agreed: quant GRE matters for admissions, verbal doesn't. So they don't try on verbal. Here's what I learned doing admissions at UChicago (2007-12): verbal scores had the most predictive power for job market paper quality.

(How) should businesses apoligize when they screw up? Field experiment on Uber rides by Halperin et al suggests the best form of apology is to include a coupon for a future trip, while just apologies—especially repeated—may backfire: buff.ly/UvPPkc7 via @johnlist.bsky.social

Just out in the NBER.....identification of a structural model of human capital skill formation amongst adolescents using a field experiment. www.nber.org/papers/w34274

Quite happy to report that Blurb #2 is in for my new Experimental Economics textbook. From none other than the indomitable Ernst Fehr! "This advanced textbook offers a rigorous and comprehensive exploration of the methodological design..

Why Don't Struggling Students Do Their Homework? In a new study we use a field experiment to identify a structural model of learning. We find that low productivity, not low motivation, is the stronger predictor of academic struggles. Study is available here: ideas.repec.org/p/feb/framed...

Great stuff @singhabhi.bsky.social!

Tipping is a haphazard way to pay workers—yet it keeps expanding. With tax policy shifting pro-tip, Freakonomics revisits a 2019 episode with @johnlist.bsky.social on why tipping persists. 🎙 freakonomics.com/podcast/seas...

Today is the last day of the Chicago School in Experimental Economics taking place in Bonn, organized by @econtribute.bsky.social, @iza.org and the University of Chicago. Thanks to everyone that participated! @luca-henkel.bsky.social @johnlist.bsky.social @dfg.de #EconSky

New Paper Alert Given my first gen roots, this paper was especially satisfying to research and write, even though the results are a bit disheartening. We use administrative data covering all North Carolina public school students, to document five facts about first generation excellence gaps…. .

🎙️ UChicago’s @johnlist.bsky.social joins St. Louis Fed’s Scott Wolla to discuss his innovative approach to teaching economics—sparking curiosity through real-world questions, field experiments, and behavioral insights. ow.ly/8E0W50WM85K

Providing the first large-scale analysis of College Saving Accounts participation and effectiveness, from Guglielmo Briscese, John A. List, and Sabrina Liu https://www.nber.org/papers/w34126

Especially appreciate Liverpool fans signing up!

**NEW PAPER ALERT** When you have kids or believe that higher education is a critical tool for social mobility, college affordability is top of mind. College Savings Accounts offer a promising tool for financing higher education. We combine several data sources to explore key issues.

Is there a more effective and efficient way to curb workplace misbehaviour (under relative performance pay) than monitoring and punishment (which depress productivity and harm morale)? Yes, field research by Flory et al finds—bonuses: buff.ly/merEqSF HT @johnlist.bsky.social

Today, scaling has evolved far beyond its origins as a mere objective. It now represents a rich domain for scientific inquiry, demanding contributions from economics and allied disciplines. As such, I am excited to announce a special issue on scaling at the JPE-Micro!

Referees make the journal system work. They are selfless in volunteering their time to ensure that our science continues to progress. All of the great referees out there please know that editors recognize your hard work and tireless effort. We do not always say it, but we do! Thank you.

Few things can make a father prouder than his daughter changing the world....by teaching about field experiments at the World Youth Economic Forum!

Forthcoming article by Kuan-Ming Chen, Ning Ding @johnlist.bsky.social and Magne Mogstad "Reservation Wages and Workers’ Valuation of Job Flexibility: Evidence from a Natural Field Experiment" @eeanews.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/jeea...

Relative to a white driver traveling the same speed, minorities are 24 -33% more likely to be stopped for speeding and to pay 23-34% more in fines. Research by Pradhi Aggarwal, Alec Brandon, Ariel Goldszmidt, Justin Holz, John A. List, Ian Muir, Gregory Sun, and Thomas Yu. ow.ly/hVgO50Qxk7t

I just finished an interview on scaling and the interviewer challenged me to "put scaling in a sports analogy so our non-technical listeners can understand your research and its origins". My response?

In meetings today at Walmart and an exec asked me: “How do economists define courage?” Caught off guard and lost for words, I channeled my inner John Wayne, and uttered: “courage is being scared witless to present at the University of Chicago, but saddling up anyway.” How would you have answered?

nice new paper by the ever productive @johnlist.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...

🚨 Nonprofit & philanthropy leaders! Join the 2025 Science of Philanthropy Initiative (SPI) Conference to team up with top researchers on bold, data-driven giving solutions. Led by @johnlist.bsky.social & Amir Pasic. Apply 👉 ow.ly/htlX50Wf1To #SPI2025 #nonprofit #philanthropy

Study by Cook et al with 1M rideshare drivers finds a 7% gender earnings gap, which is fully explained by driver tastes and learning: •returns to experience •a pay premium for faster driving •preferences for where to drive buff.ly/5NbKXJ5 HT coauthor @johnlist.bsky.social

I just happened upon a group of high school students aspiring to be Chicago Economists. They asked me how I judge my field of experimental economics is doing. My statement was a simple one:

Gender pay gaps. I just sat through a lecture where the speaker said that "since women are averse to bargaining, once we take away negotiations the gap will disappear."

The deep value of field experiments lies in uncovering the reasons behind a phenomenon—not just observing what happens, but understanding why it happens. This is the reason for titling our book “The Why Axis.” www.amazon.com/Why-Axis-Und...

Thanks so much for highlighting our work @voxdev.bsky.social!

Last night I ran into a young academic who is having trouble getting published. I reminded them that success in publishing is not the absence of obstacles, but the courage to push through. Each rejection refines your work, and every submission brings you closer to sharing your truth with the world.

Gave a breakfast talk this weekend titled: “We can learn more from field experiments than you think.” Exhibit A was our recent paper on how natural field experiments have deepened our understanding of unemployment. Paper is available here: ideas.repec.org/p/feb/natura...

In rural Rajasthan, risk-averse mothers invest more in child nutrition. These choices improve skill development and reduce the effects of disadvantage in early outcomes. Brief by Michael Cuna, Lenka Fiala, Min Sok Lee, @johnlist.bsky.social, and Sutanuka Roy: ow.ly/kqnP50W5I04 #EconSky

I just received another within-subject experimental design to handle at the JPE. Be sure to discuss why you are properly identified and present the full distribution of outcomes: ideas.repec.org/p/feb/natura...

A young scholar recently emailed me asking a question: “Professor, with one sentence can you tell me what the @jpolecon.bsky.social is looking for?” My response: I cannot speak for the other editors but I love to read studies that discover solutions for problems not yet known.

A new @nature.com paper by Team Scientist @johnlist.bsky.social and co-authors explores the “racial excellence gap”—the disparity in top academic achievement between Black and Hispanic students and their white and Asian peers: bit.ly/42oywdP

All of the anti-trust discussion on apps and platforms around the world has me thinking about work in this area. One thing that stands out is how fragile collusive arrangements can be in markets.

I just finished a lecture on the "hidden side of incentives." Sometimes they are hidden in plain sight and we don't even realize them. Years ago in a field experiment with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), we found that trustworthiness is highest if the threat to punish is available but not used...

When your life partner is also your biggest fan (and critic when necessary) life is good.

Omg omg omg. This was totally unexpected and a great motivation for the final year to come. Along with this price I got a fist bump from @johnlist.bsky.social! #econ #fieldexperiments @tcdeconomics.bsky.social

Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible mothers! Today, we recognize the invisible labor that so often goes unnoticed but never unappreciated. Thank you for bringing out the best in humanity—your care, strength, and love shape the world in ways we can never fully measure. All my love.

The always wonderful @casssunstein.bsky.social hits this one out of the park: casssunstein.substack.com/p/the-rapopo...

Final call for abstracts for AFE2025! @johnlist.bsky.social and I are excited to host another year of the conference at UChicago. Please submit your abstracts here: fs2.formsite.com/UChicagoEcon... Deadline: May 9th Keynotes: Bursztyn (UChicago), Cullen (HBS), and Kremer (UChicago) #econsky

Earlier I posted on how to estimate marginal values with surveys. I received several DMs asking for advice on how to estimate preferences, beliefs, or constraints for sensitive issues using surveys. I wrote about one approach in 2001 in the AER, available here: ideas.repec.org/p/feb/framed...

Happy Easter everyone! I hope your day is filled with Easter egg hunts, love, and happiness. For our Easter weekend, @drdanasuskind.bsky.social and I surprised my daughter, #GretaList, at the half-marathon she ran in Newport, Rhode Island.

Survey research in economics has been gaining momentum. One key criticism that will arise is that stated preferences do not always map onto revealed preferences (hypothetical bias). CVM grappled with this issue decades ago, finding supportive results.