Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/196672 
Year of Publication: 
2019
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 12174
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Using administrative data, we study the role of attribution bias in a high-stakes, consequential decision: the choice of a college major. Specifically, we examine the influence of fatigue experienced during exposure to a general education course on whether students choose the major corresponding to that course. To do so, we exploit the conditional random assignment of student course schedules at the United States Military Academy. We find that students who are assigned to an early morning (7:30 AM) section of a general education course are roughly 10% less likely to major in that subject, relative to students assigned to a later time slot for the course. We find similar effects for fatigue generated by having one or more back-to-back courses immediately prior to a general education course that starts later in the day. Finally, we demonstrate that the pattern of results is consistent with attribution bias and difficult to reconcile with competing explanations.
Subjects: 
attribution bias
major choice
higher education
JEL: 
D91
I23
J24
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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