
Timm Opitz, M.Sc.
Doctoral Student and Junior Research Fellow
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research
+49 89 24246-575
timm.opitz(at)ip.mpg.de
Areas of Interest:
Entrepreneurship, Behavioral and Experimental Economics, Behavioral Market Design, Development Economics, Developmental Psychology
Academic Résumé
Since 10/2018
Junior Research Fellow and Doctoral Candidate at Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition (Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research) and at the Munich Graduate School of Economics, LMU Munich
03/2022 - 06/2022
Visiting Scholar, University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management, Toronto, Canada, Host: Nicola Lacetera
10/2016 – 04/2019
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Psychology, LMU Munich
09/2015 – 03/2018
Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Economics, LMU Munich
09/2012 – 05/2015
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Economics, University of Mannheim and Charles III University of Madrid (ERASMUS Scholarship)
Work Experience
02/2016 – 04/2018
Research Assistant, Chair of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (LMU, Prof. Dr. Martin Kocher)
10/2012 – 06/2013
Student Trainee (Commercial Department), German Agency for Development (GIZ)
Publications
Articles in Refereed Journals
Time Pressure and Regret in Sequential Search, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 206, 406-424. DOI
(2023).- Perceived urgency and regret are common in many sequential search processes; for example, sellers often pressure buyers in search of the best offer, both time-wise and in terms of potential regret of forgoing unique purchasing opportunities. Theoretically, these strategies result in anticipated and experienced regret, which systematically affect search behavior and thereby distort optimal search. In addition, urgency may alter decision-making processes and thereby the salience of regret. To understand the empirical relevance of these aspects, we study the causal effects of regret, urgency, and their interaction on search behavior in a pre-registered, theory-based, and well-powered experiment. Empirically, we find that anticipated regret does not affect search behavior either with or without time pressure, while experienced regret leads to systematic adjustments in search length. Urgency reduces decision times and perceived decision quality, but does not generally alter search length. Only very inexperienced decision-makers buy earlier when pressured. Thus, consumer protection measures against pressure selling tactics can help inexperienced consumers in particular.
- Also published as CESifo Working Paper No. 9122
No Links Between Genetic Variation and Developing Theory of Mind: A Preregistered Replication Attempt of Candidate Gene Studies, Developmental Science 2021. DOI
(2021).- Genetic variability is being discussed as a source of inter‐individual differences in Theory of Mind development. Previous studies documented an association between variations in DRD4 VNTR 48 bp, OXTR rs53576, COMT rs4680, and Theory of Mind task performance. As empirical evidence on these associations is sparse, we conducted a preregistered replication attempt of a study reporting a link between DRD4 VNTR 48 bp and false belief understanding in 50‐month‐old children [Lackner, C., Sabbagh, M. A., Hallinan, E., Liu, X., & Holden, J. J. (2012). Developmental Science, 15(2), 272–280.]. Additionally, we attempted a replication of studies on the role of OXTR rs53576 and COMT rs4680 in Theory of Mind. In both replication attempts, we did not find any evidence for associations between the sampled genetic markers and Theory of Mind ability in a series of analyses. Extending the replication attempt of Lackner et al., we employed longitudinal data from several tasks and measurement points, which allowed us to run follow‐up robustness checks with more reliable scores. These extensive analyses corroborated our null finding. This comprehensive non‐replication is important to balance current research on genetic markers of Theory of Mind. In a combined evaluation of our own and previous studies, we point to substantial methodological issues that research on the genetic basis of Theory of Mind development faces. We conclude that these limitations currently prevent firm conclusions on genetic influences on Theory of Mind development.
Discussion Papers
Reciprocal Preferences in Matching Markets, Max Planck Institute for Innovation & Competition Research Paper, No. 23-06.
(2023).- Agents with reciprocal preferences prefer to be matched to a partner who also likes to collaborate with them. In this paper, we introduce and formalize reciprocal preferences, apply them to matching markets, and analyze the implications for mechanism design. Formally, the preferences of an agent can depend on the preferences of potential partners and there is incomplete information about the
partners’ preferences. We find that there is no stable mechanism in standard two-sided markets. Observing the final allocation of the mechanism enables agents to learn about each other’s preferences, leading to instability. However, in a school choice setting with one side of the market being non-strategic, modified versions of the deferred acceptance mechanism can achieve stability. These results provide insights into non-standard preferences in matching markets, and their implications for efficient information and mechanism design. - Available at SSRN
Everyone Likes to Be Liked: Experimental Evidence from Matching Markets, CRC TRR 190 Discussion Paper, No. 366.
(2022).- Matching markets can be unstable when individuals prefer to be matched to a partner who also wants to be matched with them. Through a pre-registered and theory-guided laboratory experiment, we provide evidence that such reciprocal preferences exist, significantly decrease stability in matching markets, and are driven both by belief-based and preference-based motives. Participants expect partners who want to be matched with them to be more cooperative, and are more altruistic themselves. This leads to higher cooperation and larger profits when participants can consider each other’s preferences.
- https://rationality-and-competition.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/366_.pdf
Time Pressure and Regret in Sequential Search (CESifo Working Paper, No. 9122 ).
(2021).- Perceived urgency and regret are common in many sequential search processes; for example, sellers often pressure buyers in search of the best offer, both time-wise and in terms of potential regret of forgoing unique purchasing opportunities. Theoretically, these strategies result in anticipated and experienced regret, which systematically affect search behavior and thereby distort optimal search. In addition, urgency may alter decision-making processes and thereby the salience of regret. To understand the empirical relevance of these aspects, we study the causal effects of regret, urgency, and their interaction on search behavior in a pre-registered, theory-based, and well-powered experiment. We find that urgency reduces decision times and perceived decision quality but does not alter search length. Only very inexperienced decision-makers buy earlier when pressured. Anticipated regret does not affect search length (neither with nor without time pressure), while experienced regret leads to systematic adjustments in search length. Thus, we recommend that consumer protection policies should particularly focus on markets with inexperienced first-time buyers.
- https://www.cesifo.org/en/publikationen/2021/working-paper/time-pressure-and-regret-sequential-search
- Also published in: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization Volume 206, February 2023, Pages 406-424
Podcast
05/23/2023
Clicking against the Clock: How Time Pressure and Regret Influence Our Behaviour in Online Shopping
Podcast, Game Changer Podcast, TWS Partners
Presentations and Talks
16.05.2023
Gender Specific Project Evaluation and Access to Finance
Micro Workshop, LMU
Location: Munich
09.12.2022
Everyone likes to be liked -Experimental Evidence from Matching Markets
TIME Seminar (TU Munich), Research Seminar
Location: Munich
28.10.2022
Everyone likes to be liked -Experimental Evidence from Matching Markets
UMass Amherst, Research Seminar
Location: online
14.09.2022
Identifying and Teaching High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Evidence From Academies for University Students in Uganda
Verein fuer Socialpolitik (German Economic Association) Annual Conference 2022
Location: Basel, Switzerland
15.06.2022
Identifying and Teaching High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Evidence From Academies for University Students in Uganda
2022 NOVAFRICA Conference on Economic Development
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
09.06.2022
Reciprocal Preferences in Matching Markets
Behavioral Brown Bag Seminar, LMU
Location: Munich
27.05.2022
Identifying and Teaching High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Evidence From Academies for University Students in Uganda
Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto), Research Seminar
Location: Toronto, Canada
06.12.2021
Identifying and Teaching High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Evidence From Academies for University Students in Uganda
RISE4 Workshop
Location: online
08.10.2021
Identifying and Teaching High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Evidence From Academies for University Students in Uganda
MGSE Colloquium 2021
Location: Munich
29.09.2021
Identifying and Teaching High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Evidence From Academies for University Students in Uganda
Research Seminar
Location: Feldkirchen-Westerham
28.09.2021
Time Pressure and Regret in Sequential Search
Verein fuer Socialpolitik (German Economic Association) Annual Conference 2021
Location: online (Regensburg)
09.07.2021
Reciprocating Preferences in Two-sided Matching
ESA 2021 Global Online Conference
Location: online
15.06.2021
Identifying and Teaching High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Evidence From Academies for University Students in Uganda
Nordic Conference in Development Economics
Location: online (Bergen, Norway)
24.03.2021
Supporting Behavioral Change: Motivated Beliefs in Preventative Health Investments
Research Seminar
Location: online
17.12.2020
Supporting Behavioral Change: How to Turn a Medical Diagnosis Into Actual Behavior?
Behavioral Brown Bag Seminar, LMU
Location: online (Munich)
02.10.2020
Time Pressure and Regret in Sequential Search
CRC TRR 190 Workshop
Location: online (Ohlstadt)
08.09.2020
Reciprocating Preferences in Two-Sided Matching
Research Seminar
Location: online (Munich)
14.07.2020
Reciprocity of Liking
CRC TRR 190 Workshop: Incentives and Behavior
Location: Ohlstadt
02.03.2020
Identifying and Teaching High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Evidence From Academies for University Students in Uganda
Research Seminar
Location: Zugspitze
21.11.2019
Identifying and Teaching High-growth Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Entrepreneurship Academies for University Students in Uganda
IGL Winter Research Meeting
Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
24.10.2019
Matching with Endogenous Preferences
LMU Munich
Location: Munich
02.10.2019
Time Pressure and Regret in Sequential Search
MGSE Colloquium 2019
Location: Munich
07.09.2019
Time Pressure and Regret in Sequential Search
European ESA Meeting, Conference
Location: Dijon, France
28.05.2019
Time Pressure and Regret in Sequential Search
Competition and Innovation Summer School, Summer School
Location: Ulcinj, Montenegro
16.05.2019
Responsibility and Delegation
LMU Brown Bag Seminar, Research Seminar
Location: Munich
Projects
Identifying and Teaching High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Experimental Evidence From Entrepreneurship Academies for University Students in Uganda
No Link Between Genetic Variation and Developing Theory of Mind: A Preregistered Replication Attempt of Candidate Gene Studies
SFB/TRR 190
Time Pressure and Regret in Sequential Search
Reciprocating Preferences in Matching Markets