Introduction

I am working as a Research Assistant for Prof. Ernst Fehr and will complete my PhD studies at his chair beginning 2009. My research focuses on questions in microeconomics, in particular I am interested in understanding the role of individual preferences (like other-regarding, time, risk or competition preferences) and social networks for cooperation in the field.

To achieve this goal, I often combine laboratory and field observations of the same individuals. For instance, I have spent much time investigating fishermen who face a common pool resource dilemma. In one of my papers with Ernst Fehr, we can show that fishermen`s degree of cooperation in a CPR context depends positively on other-regarding and negatively on time preferences. At the moment, I am investigating the link the between individual preferences and performance of fishermen on competitive fish markets.

I am also involved in more applied projects where I am observing mechanisms that try to mitigate CPR exploitation. For instance, we offered fishermen programs to change their fishing instruments to different, more environmentally friendly instruments and looked at the determinants of the fishermen`s willingness to change. It is my hope that this work is of help for policymakers and managers to design mechanisms which encourage cooperation.

Work

"The Envious Punisher: Understanding Third and Second Party with Simple Games" (with Raúl Lópéz-Péréz) available as working paper

"Market Performance and Other-Regarding Preferences" work in progress

"Who Gets the Last Word? An Experimental Study of the Effect of a Peer Review Process on the Expression of Social Norms" (with Jim Engle-Warnick) available as working paper

"Impulsivity, Strong Reciprocity and Altruistic Punishment among Fishermen" (with Carina Cavalcanti) work in progress

Teaching

Courses