American Economic Journal:
Applied Economics
ISSN 1945-7782 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7790 (Online)
Does Promoting One Healthy Behavior Detract from Others? Evidence from a Field Experiment
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
vol. 16,
no. 2, April 2024
(pp. 249–77)
Abstract
Impact evaluations of behavioral interventions typically focus on target outcomes. Might interventions induce negative spillovers on other behaviors? I run a large field experiment in which individuals receive combinations of messages and incentives promoting two healthy behaviors, meditation and meal logging. I find that the interventions reduce completion rates of the opposite behavior by 19–29 percent. I find that interventions with larger target effects do not necessarily generate larger negative spillovers, and demonstrate implications for cost-effectiveness analysis. I investigate the mechanisms behind the observed spillovers.Citation
Trachtman, Hannah. 2024. "Does Promoting One Healthy Behavior Detract from Others? Evidence from a Field Experiment." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 16 (2): 249–77. DOI: 10.1257/app.20210788Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- C93 Field Experiments
- D62 Externalities
- D91 Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
- I12 Health Behavior