Doctoral Dissertation Research in DRMS: The Influence of Birth Order on Risk Attitudes and Behavior

本研究采用实验室经济学实验，探讨S出生顺序与风险偏好之间的关系，以及风险偏好与实验室外冒险行为之间的关系。研究小组将收集有关家庭结构和参与某些危险行为的人口统计信息，包括酗酒、吸烟、大麻使用和无保护的性行为。这项研究将探索不同出生顺序的受访者之间的风险偏好是否存在差异，以及在实验室测量的风险偏好与自然环境下的冒险行为之间的关系的强度。这些实验的结果具有重要的政策意义。危险的青少年行为每年给社会造成当前和未来的医疗成本、执法成本和生产力损失数十亿美元。认识到在青少年时期可能导致药物使用的开始和升级的因素，或者某些可能处于早期开始危险行为的更大风险的亚群，对于设计成功的预防和治疗计划具有重要意义。

This project uses laboratory economics experiments to explore the relationship between one?s birth order and risk preferences as well as the relationship between risk preferences and risk-taking behavior outside of the laboratory. The research team will collect demographic information on family structure and participation in certain risky behaviors including heavy alcohol use, cigarette smoking, marijuana use, and unprotected sexual activity. The research will explore if risk preferences vary between respondents of different birth orders as well as the strength of the relationship between risk preferences measured in the laboratory and risk-taking behavior in a natural setting.The results of these experiments have significant policy implications. Risky teenage behavior costs society billions of dollars every year in current and future medical costs, law enforcement costs, and lost productivity. Recognizing factors that may lead to substance use initiation and escalation during the teenage years or certain subpopulations that may be at greater risk for early initiation of risky behavior has important implications for the design of successful prevention and treatment programs.