Research

Publication

"From Adam Smith to Artificial Intelligence: An Experimental Exploration of Emotion in Humanomics" 

with Xiangdong Qin, Siyu Wang and Xuechun Feng   Public Choice, 2025

Abstract:  

This study examines whether individuals can effectively express their emotions or “fellow feelings” to a machine, an impartial observer, or individuals who have caused them harm, and the effects of these emotional expressions on behavior. Our findings indicate that the impartial observer is the most preferred outlet for emotional expression, with neither the machine nor the offending party being able to adequately fulfill this role. Negative emotions are more commonly expressed to an impartial observer and a machine, whereas positive emotions are more often directed toward the offending party. Additionally, our findings indicate that emotional expression cannot replace costly punishment and that communication channels do not affect the behavior of the offending party. By exploring the nuanced ways emotions are conveyed, our study offers valuable insights into the evolving discourse on the impact of emotions on human-AI interactions. 

“Is It What You Say, or How You Say It?”  

 with Xiangdong Qin and Siyu Wang   Experimental Economics, 2024

Abstract:  

This study investigates the mechanisms driving the effectiveness of free-form communication in promoting cooperation within a sequential social dilemma game. We hypothesize that the self-constructing nature of free-form communication enhances the sincerity of messages and increases the disutility of dishonoring promises. Our experimental results demonstrate that free-form messages outperform both restricted promises and treatments where subjects select and use previously constructed free-form messages. Interestingly, we find that selected free-form messages and restricted promises achieve similar levels of cooperation. We observe that free-form messages with higher sincerity increase the likelihood of high-price and high-quality choices, thereby promoting cooperation. These messages frequently include promises and honesty, while threats do not promote cooperation. Our findings emphasize the crucial role of the self-constructed nature of free-form messages in promoting cooperation, exceeding the impact of message content compared to restricted communication protocols. 

Working paper

“Wings of Growth: A Mindset Intervention in Rural China”  [Job Market Paper]

with Juliana Silva Goncalves, Elif Incekara-Hafalir, Erte Xiao and Hui Xu

Abstract:  

We evaluate the impact of a six-week growth mindset intervention targeting 18 disadvantaged middle school in a rural Chinese county. The intervention improved students’ growth mindset and other associated socioemotional skills at the two-week endline, and the effects weakened at the six-month follow-up. Meanwhile, we find no effects on academic performance or future aspirations. The absence of downstream effect on academic performance, despite strengthened growth mindset, can be explained by students' unchanged study engagement across time. For treatment effect heterogeneity, the short-term benefits were more pronounced among male students, those with better baseline academic performance, and those who received more parenting. By the medium term, the heterogeneity disappeared across gender, persisted for baseline academic performance, and weakened for parenting. We further suggest a nurturing channel as a possible explanation for the heterogeneity related to parenting.

Presentations: 

25th China Economics Annual Conference (2025), 39th annual Australian PhD Conference in Economics and Business  (2025), Sydney Experimental and Behavioral Research Group Seminar Series (2025), Chinese Academy of Sciences (2025), East China University of Science and Technology (2025), Villanova University (2025), George Mason University- ICES Brown Bag Lectures (2025), AYEW - Season 11 (2025), Purdue University-Experimental Lunch (2025), ESA North America-Tuson (2025),  AFE Conference (2025), 18th ANZWEE Workshop (2025), ESA World Meeting-Beijing (2025), ACE (2025)**, 1st Annual Workshop on Economics of Education (Guangdong) (2024)**, Lyon University (2024)**  

** Talk given by coauthors  † Scheduled presentation

Awards: 

Best Paper Award for 1st Annual Workshop on Economics of Education (Guangdong)

“Too Big to Innovate”

 with Shicheng Jiang and Xiangdong Qin

Abstract:  

Existing research suggests that radical innovation becomes less prevalent as firm size increases. This paper examines a potential explanation for this size disadvantage: ex post shading by agents. We run a lab experiment  with groups of varying sizes in which a principal, whose earnings depends on the average of the agents, repeatedly chooses between a routine project that offers a flat payment and an innovation project that (i) determines each agent’s payment via independent lotteries and (ii) includes a safeguard option allowing the principal to revert to the routine project. After observing principal's choice and the resulting allocations, agents decide whether to shade. We find that shading against the principal and against other agents do not vary with group size under the routine project, but both increase substantially with group size under the innovation project. As a result, principals become less likely to pursue innovation in larger groups, likely because they face greater shading. To mitigate this size disadvantage, we examine the effects of two management practices: screening and team building. Screening out agents with stronger negative reciprocity ex ante has no effect on agents' shading or principals' project choice, whereas principal-led team building significantly reduces agents' shading against the principal and thereby modestly increases principals' likelihood of choosing the innovation project.

Presentations: 

 ESA Asian Pacific-Melboure (2026), ESA Asian Pacific-Melboure (2024)**