Is a fine still a price? Replication as robustness in empirical legal studies

摘要

Can fines lead to more of an undesirable behavior, rather than deterring it? This was the surprising finding in Uri Gneezy and Aldo Rustichini, "A Fine is a Price" published in the Journal of Legal Studies in 2000. In this field experiment at Israeli daycares, the introduction of fines caused an increase in late pick-ups by parents. The study has been frequently cited, especially for its suggestion that a fine can act as a price for non-compliance that "crowds-out" social norms and motivations for individuals.