Replication data for: Temperature and Decisions: Evidence from 207,000 Court Cases

Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s) Anthony Heyes; Soodeh Saberian

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Project Citation:

Heyes, Anthony, and Saberian, Soodeh. Replication data for: Temperature and Decisions: Evidence from 207,000 Court Cases. Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2019. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2019-10-12. https://doi.org/10.3886/E113722V1

Project Description

Summary: We analyze the impact of outdoor temperature on high-stakes decisions (immigration adjudications) made by professional decision-makers (US immigration judges). In our preferred specification, which includes spatial, temporal, and judge fixed effects, and controls for various potential confounders, a 10°F degree increase in case-day temperature reduces decisions favorable to the applicant by 6.55 percent. This is despite judgements being made indoors, "protected" by climate control. Results are consistent with established links from temperature to mood and risk appetite and have important implications for evaluating the influence of climate on "cognitive output."

Scope of Project

JEL Classification:
      K37 Immigration Law
      K41 Litigation Process
      Q54 Climate; Natural Disasters and Their Management; Global Warming

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Published Versions

V1 [2019-10-12]

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