Robert J. Oxoby

Academic Honors & Awards

PeakScholarAward,UniversityofCalgary,2015.
Killam Annual Professorship, University of Calgary, 2013–14.
Exemplary Administrative Support (awarded 2012) and Supervisory Excellence Award (nominated 2012,2013, 2014), Graduate Student Association, University of Calgary.
Department of Economics Superior Teaching Award, University of Calgary, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2011.
Graduate Teaching Excellence Award, University of Calgary, 2006.
IBM Best Paper Award for Innovation in Service Operations (with Diane Bischak), Production & OperationsManagement Society, 2005.
Faculty of Social Science Distinguished Researcher Award, University of Calgary, 2004.
KillamResidentFellowship,UniversityofCalgary2003–2004.

Contact Information

E-mail:oxoby@ucalgary.ca

Education Background

Highest Degree & Major
Ph.D.UniversityofCaliforniaatDavis,Economics,2000.

Professional Affiliations

Professor, Department of Economics, University of Calgary, since 2009.
Associate Professor, University of Calgary, 2005 — 2009.
Assistant Professor, University of Calgary, 2000 — 2005.
Department Head, Department of Economics, University of Calgary, 2017 — 2022, 2023 — 2024.
Associate Dean of Research, Faculty of Arts, University of Calgary, 2011 — 2016.
Director, Behavioural & Experimental Economics Laboratory, University of Calgary, since 2002.
Graduate Program Coordinator, Department of Economics, University of Calgary, 2009-2014.

Research Affiliations

● Research Fellow, IZA Institute for the Study of Labor (Bonn, Germany), since 2007.
● Research Fellow, Laurier Centre For Economic Research & Policy Analysis (LCERPA), since 2009.
● Research Fellow, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Social Interactions, Identity and Well- Being (SIIWB) Program (Toronto, Canada), 2006 — 2017.
● Research Fellow, Institute for Advanced Policy Research (IAPR), University of Calgary, 2004 — 2008.

Research Grants

● Alberta Innovates, “COVID-19: Obstacles and Nudges To Ameliorate Contact Tracing with ABTraceTogether App,” with Jia Hu (PI), Jamie Benham, Braden Manns, Raynell Lang, and Hasan Sheikh, $392,080, 2020.
● Calgary Arts Development, funds to study composition with Anthony Coleman and Douglas Gibson in New York, $2,500, 2015-2016.
● University of Calgary,  “Eye’s High” Ph.D Recruitment Scholarship, recruited Omid Atabati the University of Calgary, $120,000, 2014-2018.
● MITACS Globalink, “Taxation and the Social Contract,” $15,000, 2014.
● MITACS Globalink, “Perceptions of Green Technologies,” $15,000, 2014.
● MITACS Globalink, “Music and Cognition,” $45,000, 2012-2014.
● Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada  (SSHRC)  Connection  Grant,  “Canadian  New Music Network Forum,” with Laurie Radford (PI), $25,000, 2014.
● University of Calgary “Eye’s High” Post Doctoral Fellowship award, recruited Dr.  David Blake Johnson as post doctoral fellow at the University of Calgary, $100,000, 2013-2015.
● Environment Canada Research Network,  “Behavioral Economics and Environmental Regulation,”  $12,000, 2013.
● Alberta Gaming Research Institute,  “Effects  of Information Feedback Programs on Gambling Decisions,”$66,000, 2012-2014.
● Alberta Foundation for the Arts, funds to study in New York, $6,000, 2009.
● Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Standard Research Grant,  “Attention Blocking, Market Institutions and the Distribution of Wealth,” $89,000, 2009—2012.
● Canadian Institute for Advanced Research post-doctoral fellowship grant, $100,000, 2009—2011.
● Institute for Advanced Policy Research, “The Provision of Governmental, Private, and Community Resources for the Treatment of Autism,” $23,800, 2008—2009.
● Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Standard Research Grant,  “Economic and Social Implications of Veblenian preferences,” with B. Curtis Eaton and Mukesh Eswaren  (PI), $61,721, 2006—2009.
● Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Standard Research Grant,  “Attribution, Framing, and Incentives,” $58,560, 2005—2008.
● Institute for Advanced Policy Research, “Behavioural Aspects of Tax Policy,” University of Calgary, 2005.
● Institute for Advanced Policy Research, “Homelessness and the Underclass,” University of Calgary, 2005.
● Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Infrastructure Operating Grant, $48,000, 2005—2008.
● Conference Grant for the the Canadian Experimental & Behavioural Economics Workshop, University of Calgary, 2004.
● Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Alberta Science & Research Investments Program (ASRIP), and University of Calgary, funding to establish the University of Calgary’s Behavioural and Experimental Economics Laboratory, $415,490, 2002.
● Center for Family Business Management & Entrepreneurship,  “Ownership, the Balance of Power, and the Structure of Incentives in Family Firms,” 2002-2003.
● W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, “Motivating Work Teams: A Behavioral Analysis,” 2001. Russell Sage Foundation, “Economic Growth in the Face of Changing Attitudes,” 2001.

Journal Articles

●  "Persuasive messages for improving adherence to  COVID-19 prevention behaviors:  A randomized online experiment," with R Lang, O Atabati, M Mourali, B Shaffer, H Sheikh, M. Fullerton, T Tang, J Par- sons Leigh, B. Manns, D. Marshall, N. Ivers, S. Ratzan, J Hu, and J Benham, JMIR  Human Factors, 2023;10:e41328, https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2023/1/e41328, DOI: 10.2196/41328 PMID: 36508732.
● "Asset Integration and Risk-taking in the Laboratory," with William G. Morrison,  Canadian  Journal  of Economics, 2022, 55(3):  1460-1479, https://doi.org/10.1111/caje.12615.
● "Drivers of downloading and reasons for not downloading contact tracing and exposure notification apps: A national cross-sectional survey," with Gao G, Lang R, Mourali M, Sheikh H, Fullerton MM, Tang T, Manns BJ, Marshall DA, Hu J, Benham JL. PLoS ONE. 2022;17(7):e0269783. PMID: 35839252.
● "Challenges and Recommendations for COVID-19 Public Health Messaging:  A Canada-Wide Qualitative Study using Virtual Focus Groups," with R Lang,  O Atabati,  M Mourali,  B Shaffer, H Sheikh,  M. Fullerton, T Tang, J Parsons Leigh, B. Manns, D. Marshall, N. Ivers, S. Ratzan, J Hu, and J Benham, BMJ Open, 2022, 12:e054635. doi:  10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054635.
● "Characterization of non-adopters of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions through a national cross- sectional survey to assess attitudes and behaviours," with R Lang, O Atabati, M Mourali, B Shaffer, H Sheikh, M. Fullerton, T Tang, J Parsons Leigh, B. Manns, D. Marshall, N. Ivers, S. Ratzan, J Hu, and J Benham, Scientific Reports, 2021, 11, 21751 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-01279-2.
● "COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes and Beliefs in Canada: A National Cross-Sectional Survey and Cluster Anal- ysis,"with R Lang, O Atabati, M Mourali, B Shaffer, H Sheikh, M. Fullerton, T Tang, J Parsons Leigh, B. Manns, D. Marshall, N. Ivers, S. Ratzan, J Hu, and J Benham, JMIR Public Health  and Surveillance, 2021, 7(12)e30424. PMID: 34779784.
● "Analyzing  Social  Media  to  Explore  the  Attitudes  and  Behaviors  Following  the  Announcement  of  Suc- cessful  COVID-19 Vaccine  Trials:   Infodemiology  Study," with  JL  Benham,  O  Atabati,  M  Mourali, B Shaffer,  H Sheikh,  J-C Boucher,  C  Constantinescu,  J Parsons Leigh,  NM Ivers,  SC  Ratzan,  MM Fullerton,  T  Tang,  BJ  Manns,  DA  Marshall,  J  Hu,  and  R  Lang,  JMIR  Infodemiology,  2021,  DOI: https://infodemiology.jmir.org/2021/1/e28800.
● "COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes and Beliefs:  A National Cross-Sectional Survey and Cluster Analysis," with JL Benham, O Atabati, M Mourali, B Shaffer, H Sheikh, J-C Boucher, C Constantinescu, J Parsons Leigh, NM Ivers, SC Ratzan, MM Fullerton, T Tang, BJ Manns, DA Marshall, J Hu, and R Lang, JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 2021, DOI: 10.2196/preprints.30424.
● "Attitudes, behaviours and barriers to public health measures for COVID-19: a survey to inform public health messaging," with R Lang, JL Benham, O Atabati, A Hollis, T Tombe, B Shaffer, K Kovacs Burns, G MacKean, T Leveille, B. McCormack, H Sheikh, MM Fullerton, T Tang, J-C Boucher, C Constantinescu, M Mourali, BJ Manns, DA Marshall, J Hu, BMC Public Health 2021, 21:765, https://rdcu.be/c60HP.
● "Attitudes, current behaviours and barriers to public health measures that reduce COVID-19 transmission: A qualitative study to inform public health messaging," with JL Benham, R Lang, KK Burns, G MacKean, T Leveille, B McCormack, H Sheikh, MM Fullerton, T Tang, J-C Boucher, C Constantinescu, M Mourali, BJ Manns, J Hu, and DA Marshall, PLoS ONE 2021, 16(2): e0246941.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246941
● "The Demands of Performance Generating Systems on Executive Functions:  Effects and Mediating Pro- cesses," with Pil Hansen and Emma A. Climie, Frontiers in Psychology July 2020, 11:  1—12.
● "A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Sentencing Terrorism in Canada:  A tale of incarceration and the threat of cognitive biases," with Michael Nesbitt and Meagan Potier,  University  of British  Columbia Law Review, 2019, 52(2).
● "An Earned Presence:  Studying the Effect of Multi-task Improvisation Systems on Cognitive and Learning Capacity," with Pil Hansen, Connection Science, 2017, 29(1): 77-93.
● Reprinted in Embodied  Cognition,  Acting  and Performance, E. Bryon, J. M. Bishop, D. McLaughlin, J. Kaufman (eds.), Routledge, 2018.
● "Incremental Willingness to Pay: A Theoretical and Empirical Exposition," with Karine Lamiraud and Cam Donaldson, Theory  & Decision, 2016, 80(1):  101-123.
● "Can Interaction Be the Primary Focus of In-group Biases?"  with David B. Johnson,  Global Economic  and Management Review, 2015, 20(1):  1—5.
● "Social Inference and Occupational Choice:  Type-Based  Biases in a Bayesian Model of Class Formation,"
● Journal of Experimental  and Behavioral Economics, 2014, 51: 30—37.
● "A Clear and Present Minority:  Heterogeneity  in the Source of Endowments and the Provision of Public Goods," with John Spraggon, Economic Inquiry, 2013, 51(4): 2071-2082.
● "Paretian Dictators: Constraining Choice in a Voluntary Contributions Game," Constitutional Political Econ- omy, 2013, 24(2):  125-138.
● "Loss Aversion and Intertemporal Choice: A Laboratory Investigation," with William G. Morrison,  Canadian Journal of Economics, 2013, 46(2):  pp. 689—704.
● "Can Foreign Aid Buy Investment?  Appropriation Through Conflict," with David Bruner, Journal Institu- tional and  Theoretical Economics, 2012, 168(4), 731—753.
● "Us and Them: The Origin of Identity and its Economics Implications," With B. Curtis Eaton and Mukesh Eswaran, Canadian Journal of Economics, 2011, 44(3):  719-748.
● "Cognitive Dissonance, Pessimism, and Behavioral Spillover Effects," with David Dickinson, Journal of Eco- nomic Psychology, 2011, 32(3): 295—306.
● "Social Interactions and the Salience of Social Identity," with Kendra N. McLeish,  Journal  of Economic Psychology, 2011, 32(1):  172—187.
● "Recommendations and Presentations: Reducing Decision Error in a Negative Externality Experiment," with John Spraggon, Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, 2010, 39(2): 262—274.
● "Whither Found Money Effects?  An Experimental Investigation of Endowment  Source Heterogeneity in Two-Person Public Good Games," with John Spraggon, Economics Letters, 2009, 104(2):  102—105.
● "The Effect of Incentive Structure on Heuristic Decision Making:  The Proportion Heuristic," Journal  of Applied Social Psychology, 2009, 39(1):  120—133.
● "Stereotyping in Intertemporal Choice," with Kendra N. McLeish, Journal of Economic  Behavior and Orga- nization, 2009, 70(1):  135—141.
● "Game Theory for Playing Games: Bounding Rationality in a Negative Externality Experiment" with John Spraggon, Economic Inquiry, 2009, 47(3): 467—481.
● "On the Efficiency of AC/DC: Bon Scott versus Brian Johnson," Economic Inquiry, 2009, 47(3):  592—602.
● Reprinted in  Writing Music:  A  Bedford  Spotlight Reader, Jeff Osborne (ed.), 2018, Bedford/St.  Mar- tin's: Boston.
● "Understanding Social Inclusion, Social Cohesion, and Social Capital,” International Journal of Social Eco- nomics, 2009, 36(12):  1133—1152.
● "Skill Uncertainty and Social Inference," Labour Economics, June 2008, 15(3): 400—415.
● "Mine and Yours: Property Rights in Dictator Games," with John Spraggon, Journal  of Economic Behavior and  Organization, March 2008, 65(3-4): 703-713.
● "Measuring Impatience:  Elicited Discount Rates and the Barratt Impulsiveness  Scale,"  with Kendra N.McLeish, Personality and Individual Differences, August 2007, 43(3): 553-565.
● "Developing Heuristic-Based  Quality  Judgements:  Attention Blocking in  Consumer  Choice,"  with Hugh Finnigan, Psychology & Marketing, April 2007, 24(4): 295—313.
● "The Effects of Recommended Play on Compliance with Ambient Pollution Instruments," with John Sprag- gon, Environmental Economics, Experimental Methods, 2007, T. Cherry, S. Kroll and J. Shogren (eds.), London: Taylor and Francis.
● "Partisan Competition, Growth and the Franchise," with Humberto Llavador,  Quarterly  Journal of Eco- nomics, August 2005, 120(3): 1155—1189.
● "Status,Cognitive Dissonance, and Growth of the Underclass," The Economic Journal, October 2004, 114(498): 727—749.
● Reprinted in Behavioural Macroeconomics, Ian M. McDonald (ed.), 2011, Edward Elgar Publishing.
● "Specific Decision and Strategy Vector Methods in Ultimatum Bargaining:  Evidence on the Strength of Other-Regarding Behavior,"  with Kendra N. McLeish, Economics Letters, September 2004, 84(3): 399— 405.
● "Attitudes and Allocations:  Status, Cognitive Dissonance and the Manipulation of Preferences,"  Journal of Economic Behavior and  Organization, November 2003, 52(3): 365—385.
● "Status Characteristics, Cognitive Biases, and Incentives in Teams," Journal of Socio-Economics, 2002, 31(3):301—316.
● "A Monopoly Classroom Experiment," Journal of Economic Education, 2001, 32(2):  160—168.

Book Chapters

●“Identity and Economic Preferences in the Laboratory,” in 2023 Sichell Annual Lectures, Wei-Chiao Huang, W.E. Upjohn Institute.
●“Music Improvisation, Identity and Embodied Cognition,” in Performing the Remembered Present:  the  Cog- nition of Memory  in Dance,  Theatre,  and Music, 2017, B. Blessing and P. Hansen (eds.).
● "Experiments in Political Economy" with Humberto Llavador, in  Experimental  Economics:   Practice  and Applications, 2016, Antoni Bosch and Pablo Branas-Garza (ed.).
● "Should Archie Marry Betty or Veronica?" in Twelve-Cent Archie, 2015, Bart Beaty (ed.), Rutgers.
● "The Underclass," in Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity and Nationalism, 2016, J. Stone, D. Rutledge, P. Rizova, A. Smith and X. Hou (eds.), Blackwell.
● "Relative Income Effects"and "James Dusenberry," with Gustavo Caballero, in Real  World Decision Making: An Encyclopedia of Behavioral Economics, 2014, Morris Altman (ed.), Praeger.
● "Gamblers' Fallacy" and "Gender and Decision-Making," with Kevin Laughren, forthcoming in Real  World Decision Making:  An Encyclopedia  of Behavioral Economics, 2014, Morris Altman (ed.), Praeger.
● "Interdependent Preferences" and "Winner's Curse," with Victor Song, in Real  World Decision Making:  An Encyclopedia of Behavioral Economics, 2014, Morris Altman (ed.), Praeger.
● "The Coase Theorem," "Property Rights," "the Endowment Effect" and "Elinor Ostrom," with Oscar Zapata, in Real  World Decision Making:  An  Encyclopedia  of Behavioral Economics, 2014, Morris Altman (ed.), Praeger.
● "Experimentos en economia politica" with Humberto Llavador, Economia Experimental Y Del Comportaiento, p. 309—324, Antoni Bosch and Pablo Branas-Garza (ed.), 2011.
● "Intertemporal Discounting with Veblen Preferences: Theory and Evidence," with Mukesh Eswaran, in Essays in Honor of B.  Curtis  Eaton,  G.K. Dow, A. Eckert and D.S. West  (eds.), 2010, pp 272—296, Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
● "Experiments and Behavioral Economics,"  Handbook  of  Contemporary  Behavioral  Economics,  M. Altman (ed.), 2006, pp. 441—454, New York: M.E. Sharpe.
● "Preferences" and "Strategy," International Encyclopedia of Economic Sociology, J. Beckert and M. Zafirovski (eds.), 2006, pp. 665—666, New York: Routledge.
● "Do Micro-Investors Help Complete Markets?"  in Focus  on Macroeconomic Research, L. Z. Pelzer (ed.), 2005 pp. 55—68, New York: Nova Science.
● "The Role of Status Structures in Motivating Work Teams,"  Global Business  and Economics  Review - An- thology 2002, 2002, pp.  142—152, D. Kantarelis (ed.), Business and Economics Society International.
● "Growth and Status with Changing Attitudes," Proceedings  of the  26th  Colloquium on Research in Economic Psychology, September 2001: 219—222, A.J. Scott (ed.), IAREP/University of Bath.

Books, Book Reviews and Non-Refereed Publications

● Irritable  Clown Syndrome, 2025, KDP.
● Review of Expectations, Rationality  and  Economic  Performance, T.  Rotheli,  Journal  of Socio-Economics, June 2009, 38(3): 542—543.
● Review of Surveys in Experimental Economics:  Bargaining,  Cooperation  and Election Stock Markets, F. Bolle and M. Lehmann-Waffenschmidt (eds.), Eastern Economic Journal, Summer 2005, 31(3): 495—497.
● "Influencing Attitudes in the Workplace," October 2002, Employment Research, W.E. Upjohn Institute.
● Alberta  Greenhouse  Gas Emissions  Trading  Simulation, 2001, with Climate Change Central and CO2E.com.
● "Conference Report: Global Change, Resource Shocks, and Economic History," with Bob Barde, Jan Martuscelli- Kent, Newsletter of the  Cliometric Society, August 1993.