What Motivates Blood Donors?
Nicola Lacetera, Ph.D.- Assistant Professor of Economics, Case Western Reserve University
Friday November 30, 2007
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Crawford Hall – Room 9
Inamori Center
Case Western Reserve University
We’ve all heard alarms when the blood supply dips to dangerous levels, asking for more blood donations. But why does anyone give blood at all? What kinds of people give blood, for what reasons? Does it vary across cultures? Issues about how to collect enough blood intersect with concern about how to make sure the blood that’s collected is safe. If people are paid for their blood, for example, will that attract donors who are particularly likely to carry pathogens?
Professor Lacetera has been conducting field experiments on incentives for blood donation with colleagues at CWRU, while also studying extrinsic and intrinsic motivations for blood donation in Italy. Join us for discussion of a topic that involves puzzles from economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology and, of course, medicine.
The Friday Lunch is a brown-bag event open to all. Cookies and some beverages are provided
The remainder of this e-mail reports what we know about the schedule for the rest of the semester. We will be sending out announcements each week. If you would prefer not to receive the announcements, please inform Dr. Andrew Lucker, Associate Director of the Center for Policy Studies, by e-mail (andrew.lucker@case.edu).
About Our Guest
Understanding incentives drives understanding of performance. This is at the core of Nicola Lacetera’s research. One study looks at the interaction between very different incentive structures in the academic environment and commercial marketplace. Nicola is also investigating a model of scientific fraud to advance understanding of the factors that trigger intentional misreporting of results. Another line of research examines the interplay between monetary and non-monetary incentives for blood donors. A fourth study of professional soccer assesses whether increasing the severity of penalties reduces unfair behavior or simply causes it to evolve.
Friday Lunch and Other Public Affairs Upcoming Topics and Speakers:
December 7: TBA
The Friday Lunch will resume for the Spring semester on January 18, 2008 with Robert Strassfeld, Professor of Law, leading a discussion on “How to End a War. ”
January 25: TBA
February 1: TBA
February 8: Bo Carlsson, Frank Tracy Carlton Professor of Economics at Case Western Reserve University, will discuss, “Can Cleveland Be a High Tech Leader?”
February 15: Paul Gerhart, Professor of Marketing and Policy Studies at Case Western Reserve University, will tak about, “Labor Agreements in the Auto Industry–and Elsewhere.”
February 22: TBA
February 29: Robin Dubin, Associate Proferssor of Economics at Case Western Reserve University, will discuss, “The Real Estate Meltdown.”
The Friday Lunch discussions are held on the lower (ground) level of
Crawford Hall. Visitors with mobility issues may find it easiest to take advantage of special arrangements we have made. On most Fridays, a few parking spaces in the V.I.P. lot in between Crawford Hall and Amasa Stone Chapel are held for participants in the lunch discussion.
Visitors then can avoid walking up the hill to the first floor of Crawford by entering the building on the ground level, through the garage area under the building. The further door on the left in that garage will be left unlocked during the period before the Friday lunch. On occasion, parking will be unavailable because of other university events.
For more information about these and other Center for Policy Studies programs, please see http://policy.case.edu.