Exit and the Epistemic Quality of Voice

Debates over the relationship between exit and voice in politics have focused on the quantity of citizen voice and its effectiveness in influencing public decisions. The epistemic quality of voice, on the other hand, has received much less attention. This article uses rational choice theory to argue that public sector exit options can lead to more informed and less biased expressions of voice. Whereas voters have weak incentives to gather and process information, exit options provide sharper epistemic incentives to produce knowledge which can spill over into voting decisions. Exit can thus improve democratic competence.     

Gambling and credit: an individual and household level analysis for the UK

We explore the relationship between gambling and the use of credit at the individual and household levels using representative pooled cross-section data from the UK Expenditure and Food Surveys (EFS) (2001–2007). Gambling and the use of credit are shown to be positively correlated at the household level. We find that both the incidence and amount of gambling vary according to household income and the positive association between gambling and credit is stable across household income. It is also apparent that there is strong intra-household correlation in both gambling activity and the use of credit, with stronger relationships in lower income households.     

EXERCISING WILLPOWER: DIFFERENCES IN WILLPOWER DEPLETION AMONG ATHLETES AND NONATHLETES

This study presents the results from a controlled experiment designed to test for differences in willpower depletion between athletes and nonathletes. Individuals with more willpower are more likely to have high school and college degrees, higher earnings, better jobs, lower crime and poverty rates, and are less likely to be obese. Recent research has established that reserves of willpower get depleted, leaving individuals unable to carry out tasks that require further self‐control. The experimental results show that after administering a willpower‐draining task, athletes persisted for significantly longer—exhibited less willpower depletion—on an unsolvable puzzle than nonathletes. (JEL C91, J24)     

Corporate social responsibility performance,financial distress and firm life cycle: evidence from Australia

This study examines the association between corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and financial distress and additionally the moderating impact of firm life cycle stages on that association. Based on a sample of 651 publicly listed Australian firm‐years’ data covering the 2007–2013 period, our regression results show that positive CSR activity significantly reduces financial distress of the firm. In addition, the negative association between positive CSR performance and financial distress is more pronounced for firms in mature life cycle stages. Our results are robust to alternative proxy measures of financial distress, CSR performance and life cycle stages.     

Anger mediates the effect of ostracism on risk-taking

The present research tested the effects of being ostracized on risk-taking behavior and how emotional responses to ostracism mediate these effects. In two experiments, undergraduates were either ostracized or included during an Internet ball-toss game (Cyberball). In Experiment 1 (N = 52), ostracism increased self-reported risk-taking inclinations, and the relation between ostracism and risk-taking was mediated by feelings of anger, but not control. In Experiment 2 (N = 72), ostracism increased risky driving during a driving video game. The effect of ostracism on risk-taking was again mediated by post-ostracism anger (but not control or ostracism-induced sadness). This research suggests that anger elicited by ostracism may increase risk-taking.