At the Competence-Centre on Microeconomic Evaluation (CC-ME) we advise and support EU policy making through ex-post causal evaluation and data-driven microeconomic analysis. The CC-ME hosts a Microeconometric Seminar Series to promote discussions with external researchers from academia and other institutions. Our Seminar Series is intended to disseminate advanced research methodologies and topics in the field of microeconomic evaluation. To further disseminate the benefits of our Series across the JRC, we post a summary of the presented papers together with the presenters' views and opinions on their research and the future of the field of Applied Economics. |
Last week we had the pleasure of having Ilaria Prometti from Pavia University present her work: Narratives, Accents, and Health: Tailored Norm-Nudges and Children Bedtime Disparities.
In her work, Ilaria Prometti documents significant racial disparities in sleep patterns, with Black children experiencing consistently later bedtimes and shorter sleep durations compared to their White peers. She also observes strong intergenerational correlations in bedtime behavior within Black families.
She designed an online experiment testing the effectiveness of norm-nudge audio interventions that varied in messenger accent and style, and found that information treatments significantly improved intentions to increase sleep duration, advance bedtimes, and boosted the willingness to subscribe to a sleep hygiene newsletter.
To learn more about Ilaria Prometti's work and opinions about the future of the field of Applied Economics we asked her to briefly answer a series of questions. You can find her answers to each of our questions below.
Q: What attracted you to research the topics in your paper? A: Cannabis legalization is a widely debated policy issue with significant public health implications. Understanding its effects on sleep—a key determinant of health and productivity—can inform more effective regulatory decisions. |
Q: Where is the research area where your paper fits moving? A: While prior studies have examined the effects of cannabis legalization, its impact on sleep remains understudied. Given the importance of sleep for health, cognitive function, and economic outcomes, this represents a critical gap in the literature. |
Q: What, in your opinion, will the next breakthrough in Applied Economics be? A: Future research will likely explore policy heterogeneity, examining differential impacts across subpopulations to enhance targeted interventions and minimize unintended consequences. |
The CC-ME team would like to congratulate Ilaria Prometti for her insightful research and thank her for presenting it in our Seminar Series.
For more information on the upcoming presentations and how to participate in our Seminar Series please visit our dedicated website.
| Originally Published | 19 Feb 2025 |
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