Plausibly Exogenous [1688] - Emotional State (09/16/2024)

LHS Variable
Cognitive performance

RHS Variable
Emotional state

Source of Exogenous Variation
Random draw that determines which player starts the chess match with the white pieces. This random assignment gives one player a strategic advantage in the first game and a greater likelihood of leading during the match, creating differences in emotional states between the players that are uncorrelated with their abilities.

- Gonzalez-Diaz and Palacios-Huerta (2016), “Cognitive performance in competitive environments: Evidence from a natural experiment”