Just boarded a flight to attend the ESA meetings. The best part of these types of trips is learning from all the brilliant scholars. I will present a new study titled: “Don’t give up on the lab: why the field still needs lab experiments.” ideas.repec.org/p/feb/natura... See everyone tomorrow!

Don't Give Up on Lab Experiments: Why the Field Still Needs

Recent enthusiasm for field experiments, and especially for natural field experiments (NFEs), in which subjects go about their daily activities unaware that any study is taking place, has sometimes be

ideas.repec.org

Thanks so much for your generous review of my new book @dmckenzie.bsky.social. The book was truly a labor of love and to have someone of David's ilk find it useful makes me beyond happy!

David McKenzie@dmckenzie.bsky.social · 2mo ago

In today's blog, I read through all of @johnlist.bsky.social's new mammoth textbook on experimental economics. I highlight the parts I think will be particularly useful to development economists, including great chapters on ethics, DUAs, ... 1/2 blogs.worldbank.org/en/impacteva...

I just released a new working paper! “Don’t Give Up on Lab Experiments: Why the Field Still Needs the Lab” Available here: ideas.repec.org/p/feb/natura...

Don't Give Up on Lab Experiments: Why the Field Still Needs

Recent enthusiasm for field experiments, and especially for natural field experiments (NFEs), in which subjects go about their daily activities unaware that any study is taking place, has sometimes be

ideas.repec.org

You warm my heart @climent.bsky.social!

Climent Quintana-Domeque@climent.bsky.social · 3mo ago

At last! A new learning adventure begins soon: Experimental Economics (by @johnlist.bsky.social)

Excited to be on an ESA panel about the future of experimental economics at the meetings this July in LA. Even creating a new paper for the occasion! "Don't Give Up on Lab Experiments: The Deep Complementarity of Lab and Field Experiments." Hope to see you in LA: sites.google.com/view/esa2026...

ESA 2026 World Meetings

The 2026 ESA World Meetings will be held at the Marriott Resort Hotel in Marina del Rey, California, just half a mile from Venice Beach and an easy 15-minute car ride from Los Angeles International Ai...

sites.google.com

This breaks my heart.

Kyle Siler@kylesiler.bsky.social · 3mo ago

That's awful and absurd. I suppose they wouldn't hire @johnlist.bsky.social out of the University of Wyoming, either. 🙄 If possible, I'd suggest naming the rector and institution. Science would benefit from norm enforcement here, and sunshine is the best disinfectant.

Have you taken a Lyft, shopped at Walmart, or used Facebook in the last decade? You may have been part of a @johnlist.bsky.social experiment. On The Pie, List discusses his new book Experimental Economics: Theory in Practice and what real-world experiments reveal about behavior.

Last call for those interested in joining my team and me in Buenos Aires for the Chicago School in Experimental Economics, November 4-8, 2026! There is no program fee, and financial assistance for accommodations is available. We will go over my new textbook! voices.uchicago.edu/jlist/the-ch...

Lecturing on discrimination this week and this study will be one discussion point: ideas.repec.org/p/feb/natura... Big data show that minority drivers are 24–33% more likely to be cited and paid 23–34% higher fines, not explained by differences in offense rates, accident risk, or re-offense rates.

High-frequency location data shows that race affects the lik

Prior research finds that, conditional on an encounter, minority civilians are more likely to be punished by police than white civilians. An open question is whether the actual encounter is related to

ideas.repec.org

CfP: 2026 Advances with Field Experiments (AFE) Conference in Chicago (September 2026) For more conferences, please check our page: https://statatexblog.com/conferences

It turns out that certain combinations of tau and alpha are consistent with risk mattering less. Surprise: the model also provides an explanation for the uncertainty effect, a finding that Uri Gneezy, @johnlist.bsky.social, and I wrote up 20 years ago. academic.oup.com/qje/article-... 17/N

The Uncertainty Effect: When a Risky Prospect is Valued Less than its Worst Possible Outcome

Abstract. Expected utility theory, prospect theory, and most other models of risky choice are based on the fundamental premise that individuals choose amon

academic.oup.com

Our new study just out in the @nber.org. We use a natural field experiment from my time back at Lyft to show that nonlinear pricing isn't just a contract design problem. It's a behavioral intervention problem too.

NBER@nber.org · 4mo ago

The economics of subscriptions, from Aaron L. Bodoh-Creed, Brent R. Hickman, John A. List, Ian Muir, and Gregory K. Sun www.nber.org/papers/w35003

Organized by @johnlist.bsky.social (UChicago) and Robert Metcalf (Columbia), AFE 2026 brings together innovative work shaping economics, policy, and business through real-world experimentation.

Congrats on the new job! And, looking forward to my visit!

Sebastian J. Goerg@sebastianjgoerg.bsky.social · 5mo ago

First month in a new job and I will have the honor to introduce @johnlist.bsky.social as the NIM Distinguished Speaker. Not a bad start at all 😀

Some ideas change the world. Most don't. This isn't because they are bad ideas. It is because they never had the ingredients to scale in the first place. Honored to be speaking on this crucial topic at the Nuremberg's Historic Town Hall next month. Join me if you can! pretix.eu/nim/johnlist/

NIM DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS: JOHN A. LIST

Fri, April 24, 2026

pretix.eu

Big Announcement! I'm thrilled to let everyone know that the Chicago School in Experimental Economics is heading to Buenos Aires! This edition of CSEE will take place November 4-8, 2026 at the Universidad del CEMA. Please visit here for more information: voices.uchicago.edu/jlist/the-ch...

I have received an unusual number of DMs on what's happening in the US. When I reflect on recent events, I am deeply saddened but find some comfort in thinking like an experimentalist. Why?

Munich in September, great colleagues, and a field that matters. If you're working on economics of education, please join us at the CESifo Economics of Education conference! Rick and Ludger (woessmann.bsky.social) always put together a very stimulating conference.

Ludger Woessmann@woessmann.bsky.social · 6mo ago

📢 Call for papers: CESifo Area Conference on Economics of Education co-organized w/ Eric Hanushek (Stanford) 🏛️ 11-12 Sept 2026, Munich 🧑‍🏫 Keynote: John List (Chicago) @johnlist.bsky.social 👉 www.ifo.de/en/cesifo/ev... ⏰ Deadline: 11 May 2026 🖼️ Past programs: sites.google.com/view/woessma...

Alright everyone I heard you! We have nearly 1000 applications to the CSEE and we are not even to the deadline! This means two very positive things: first, experimental economics is thriving (and more!). Second, we need to do more of these summer schools. Latin America, you're next—stay tuned!

The deadline is here! Last call for applications to the Chicago School in Experimental Economics in Japan. This free summer school will take place June 22–26, 2026 at the University of Osaka. Apply here: voices.uchicago.edu/jlist/the-ch... Questions? Contact melissade4@uchicago.edu

Economics is really for everyone and everypup! Here is @drdanasuskind.bsky.social asking John Nash if she wants to go to the Economics department today. If only my own students would get this excited about economics!

Very kind, thanks so much @markgsheppard.com!

Mark G. Sheppard@markgsheppard.com · 7mo ago

This is peak John List, solo authored paper about education, that’s also about how to scale programs, and it’s in Chicago. This is a @johnlist.bsky.social trifecta. 10/10 no notes

If that link does not work please try this one: ideas.repec.org/p/feb/natura...

The Economics of Scaling Early Childhood Programs: Lessons f

Many ideas show remarkable returns in small-scale trials but often disappoint when scaled to broader populations and contexts. Using early childhood investment as a case study, this study develops a d

ideas.repec.org

John A. List@johnlist.bsky.social · 7mo ago

What hits home runs in the minors but strikes out in the majors? Most pilot programs. They dazzle in pilots and flop at scale. My new study (ideas.repec.org/p/feb/natura...) offers a model for designing interventions that anticipate scaling challenges early. Let's make scaling a scientific object!

What hits home runs in the minors but strikes out in the majors? Most pilot programs. They dazzle in pilots and flop at scale. My new study (ideas.repec.org/p/feb/natura...) offers a model for designing interventions that anticipate scaling challenges early. Let's make scaling a scientific object!

Consumer Demand and Market Competition with Time-Intensive Goods by Joseph Goodman, Lancelot Henry de Frahan, Justin Holz, @johnlist.bsky.social, Evan McKay, Niall McMenamin, Sally Sadoff & Hal Sider

Excited to announce that this year's Advances with Field Experiments conference will take place at the University of Chicago on September 17-18, 2026. @johnlist.bsky.social and I will send out a call for abstracts early in the Spring. bfi.uchicago.edu/events/event... @katymilkman.bsky.social

My FOMO has now been maximized...by a picture just sent! I had to miss this year, but the AEAs are always a favorite, largely because of the brilliant economists. Pictured below are two of them on the market: Haruka and Danielle. Good luck to you both, keep changing the world and making us proud!

The effect of the left-digit in ride-sharing apps is significant—research by @johnlist.bsky.social et al suggests as much as $160M in profit is left in the table by not using it: buff.ly/QaM34hn

The holidays are a good time to step back from the research and remember what it's all for. Grateful for family, for colleagues who push my thinking, and for the chance to do work that might make a small difference. Wishing you and yours a restful break and a bright 2026!

Excited to announce the 4th Chicago School in Experimental Economics is heading to Osaka, Japan! Join us in June 2026 for an intensive week on frontier experimental methods. We'll cover my textbook (lnkd.in/eT9Ci-YT) and you'll have the chance to present your research. Apply here: lnkd.in/grVg68Qn