The Quarterly Journal of Finance

We delineate the field of experimental finance. This is done along two dimensions. To delineate the methodological dimension, we use the accepted view in the community. To delineate the thematic (research questions) dimension, we use a comparison with experimental economics with a historical perspective and a brief bibliometric analysis. The article further introduces, motivates, and provides context to the articles published in the special issue. These articles also serve to illustrate the delineation of the field proposed in the first part.

This paper investigates the impact of monitoring intensity on individuals’ motivation to exert effort. Using an experimental approach, we designed a test comprising six problems, with varied levels of monitoring and success criteria, to evaluate performance as an indicator of effort. The results reveal a nonlinear relationship between the stringency of monitoring criteria and worker performance. Interestingly, we found that optimal performance is attained when participants are required to answer correctly only one of the six problems. This study enhances our understanding of performance monitoring strategies and their effects in modern work settings.

House valuation involves forecasting household demand for a neighborhood, whereas commercial property valuation involves forecasting area economic activity. Yet, we show optimistic expectations for both. We investigate further possible disparities due to different cultures of home ownership, short, medium, and long-term investment horizons, and bullish or bearish trends. We use an experimental framework to demonstrate expectations are optimistic under all conditions. Buyers use trends to surmise future prices in bull markets, expect price increases in oscillating markets, and price reversals in bear markets, failing to anticipate price busts. Policy implications are important in preventing property boom-induced financial crises.

In this paper, we show that competitive female role models reduce women’s perceived stereotype threat and increase their willingness to compete. Competitive male role models have the opposite effect: they reduce women’s willingness to compete, and the gender gap in tournament entry increases. Results are strongest for the best performing women who would benefit most from competing. Role models have no impact on low performing women, and on men.

We study the stability of non-cognitive skills by comparing experimental data gathered before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a sample of professional traders, we find a significant decrease in Agreeableness and Locus of Control and a moderate decrease in Grit. These patterns are primarily driven by those with more negative experiences of the pandemic. Other skills, such as Trust, Conscientiousness, and Self-Monitoring, are unchanged. We contrast these results with those from a sample of undergraduate students whose non-cognitive skills remain constant (except Conscientiousness). Our findings provide evidence against the stability of some non-cognitive skills, particularly among professional traders.

This paper investigates the importance and the determinants of trust in a lending situation using a controlled experiment. We find that communication can facilitate collaboration between lenders and borrowers through three channels of trust: (1) an information channel, (2) a preference channel, and (3) a reciprocity channel. Our results highlight the role of trust in mitigating the moral hazard problem in lending.