Discriminatory social norms drive high levels of gender inequality in India. However, there is a paucity of evidence on how gender discrimination manifests in economic decision-making with real payoffs in a rural, underdeveloped setting. In this paper, I present a lab-in-the-field experiment using incentivized trust and dictator games to distinguish between statistical and taste-based gender discrimination. Negative stereotypes that manifest as lower trust is interpreted as statistical discrimination. Prejudice that manifests as lower trust and social preferences is interpreted as taste-based discrimination. Next, I evaluate whether a behavioral nudge can influence discriminating individuals’ preferences over gender versus previous trustworthiness. The evaluation nudge tests whether moving from separate (single-choice) to joint (multiple-choice) evaluation setting triggers a shift from gender-biased to payoff maximizing decision-making. Results indicate that participants demonstrate statistical discrimination. Signalling higher trustworthiness leads to gender unbiased decision-making under joint evaluation, but not under separate evaluation. • Discriminatory social norms drives gender inequality, however, there is a paucity of evidence on discrimination in economic decision-making in a rural, underdeveloped setting. • This lab-in-the-field experiment uses incentivized trust and dictator games to identify the magnitude and discriminate between statistical and taste-based gender discrimination. • Negative stereotypes that manifest as low trust is interpreted as statistical discrimination, while prejudice that manifests as lower trust and social preferences is interpreted as taste-based discrimination. • Next, this paper tests a behavioural nudge that tests whether moving from separate (single-choice) to joint (multiple-choice) evaluation setting triggers a shift from gender- biased to pay-off maximizing decision-making. • Results indicate that participants demonstrate statistical discrimination and signalling higher trustworthiness leads to gender unbiased decision-making under joint evaluation, but not under separate evaluation.

As part of a push towards sustainable transportation, there have been several rental e-scooter trials in UK cities. However, vandalism and mistreatment have plagued these schemes, and the adoption of e-scooters remains low. We test the effectiveness of nudges designed to improve attitudes towards shared e-scooters, as well as increase uptake. These are based on three main mechanisms: ownership, social norm messaging, and social status signalling. Using randomised survey experiments, we find that our main ownership and social status nudges are not only ineffective, they worsen attitudes towards shared e-scooters and reduce intended uptake. Injunctive norm messaging did not have any significant impact on stated adoption or willingness to report misuse. Our results highlight the potential consequences of nudges that backfire. We recommend carefully testing proposed nudges within the intended context before implementation, even if they have been successful in a different context, in order to avoid negative consequences. • We test the effectiveness of nudges designed to improve behaviour towards e-scooters. • The nudges are based on ownership, social norms, and social status signalling. • Two of our main nudges had a negative impact on behaviour, the rest were ineffective. • The results highlight potential unintended consequences of nudges when they backfire.

Cognitive inconsistency, the discrepancy between individuals’ behavior and their self-image, can cause the psychological discomfort called cognitive dissonance. Drawing on the results of a large-scale online survey experiment conducted in Germany in 2021, this paper investigates whether cognitive dissonance is reduced through self-deception and behavior change. After participants’ attitudes toward sustainable production were elicited, in an incentivized discrete-choice task, respondents could opt for a voucher from either a conventional or a sustainable online market place. The task was combined with an experimental setting in which the salience of cognitive inconsistency was increased by either randomly reminding participants of their previously stated attitudes or by providing information about the negative aspects of conventional online shopping. While we do not find evidence for self-deception, respondents adapt their behavior to their attitudes when their cognitive inconsistency is more salient. • This paper experimentally investigates whether enhancing the salience of cognitive inconsistency can increase sustainable online shopping. • With our experimental setting, we aim to increase the salience of cognitive inconsistency by, e.g., randomly reminding participants of their formerly stated attitudes towards sustainable production. • We then analyze whether individuals avoid cognitive inconsistency by a change in behavior to comply with their previously stated attitudes. • Alternatively, participants are randomly informed about the typical criticism of conventional online shopping to enhance the salience of cognitive inconsistency. • Our empirical results indicate that individuals adapt their behavior after having received the reminder of their stated attitudes and the criticism about conventional online shopping.