Combining 'real effort' with induced effort costs: The ball-catching task

We introduce the “ball-catching task”, a novel computerized task, which combines a tangible action (“catching balls”) with induced material cost of effort. The central feature of the ball-catching task is that it allows researchers to manipulate the cost of effort function as well as the production function, which permits quantitative predictions on effort provision. In an experiment with piece-rate incentives we find that the comparative static and the point predictions on effort provision are remarkably accurate. We also present experimental findings from three classic experiments, namely, team production, gift exchange and tournament, using the task. All of the results are closely in line with the stylized facts from experiments using purely induced values. We conclude that the ball-catching task combines the advantages of real effort tasks with the use of induced values, which is useful for theory-testing purposes as well as for applications.<p>This network project brings together economists, psychologists, computer and complexity scientists from three leading centres for behavioural social science at Nottingham, Warwick and UEA. This group will lead a research programme with two broad objectives: to develop and test cross-disciplinary models of human behaviour and behaviour change; to draw out their implications for the formulation and evaluation of public policy.
Foundational research will focus on three inter-related themes: understanding individual behaviour and behaviour change; understanding social and interactive behaviour; rethinking the foundations of policy analysis.
The project will explore implications of the basic science for policy via a series of applied projects connecting naturally with the three themes. These will include: the determinants of consumer credit behaviour; the formation of social values; strategies for evaluation of policies affecting health and safety.
The research will integrate theoretical perspectives from multiple disciplines and utilise a wide range of complementary methodologies including: theoretical modeling of individuals, groups and complex systems; conceptual analysis; lab and field experiments; analysis of large data sets.
The Network will promote high quality cross-disciplinary research and serve as a policy forum for understanding behaviour and behaviour change.</p>

我们提出“接球任务（ball-catching task）”这一新型计算机化任务，其将具象化动作“接球”与诱导型努力物质成本相结合。该任务的核心特征在于，研究者可同时操控努力成本函数与生产函数，从而实现对努力供给的定量预测。在一项采用计件激励的实验中，我们发现，关于努力供给的比较静态分析结果与点预测均极为精准。此外，我们还呈现了运用该任务开展的三项经典实验的结果，分别为团队生产、礼物交换与锦标赛实验。所有结果均与纯诱导价值实验中的典型事实高度契合。综上，接球任务兼具真实努力任务与诱导价值法的双重优势，既可用于理论检验，也可应用于实际场景。

本网络项目汇聚了来自诺丁汉大学、华威大学与东安格利亚大学（UEA）三大行为社会科学顶尖研究中心的经济学家、心理学家、计算机科学家与复杂系统科学家。该团队将主导一项研究计划，涵盖两大核心目标：一是开发并检验人类行为与行为改变的跨学科模型；二是厘清这些模型对公共政策制定与评估的启示。

基础研究将围绕三大相互关联的主题展开：一是解析个体行为与行为改变机制；二是解析社会互动行为规律；三是重构政策分析的理论基础。

本项目将通过一系列紧扣三大主题的应用研究，探索基础科学在政策层面的应用价值。相关应用研究涵盖：消费者信贷行为的决定因素、社会价值观的形成机制、健康与安全相关政策的评估策略。

本研究将整合多学科的理论视角，并运用多种互补性研究方法，包括：个体、群体与复杂系统的理论建模、概念分析、实验室与田野实验、大型数据集分析。

该网络项目将推动高质量跨学科研究，并成为解析人类行为与行为改变的政策研讨平台。