Publications

Sharing our behavioral insights with the world

2025

Unlocking Employee Potential: Exploring the Influence of Identity Fusion and Pro-group Motivation on Productivity

Isuru Samaranayake, Mithursan Asokkumar, Jayarathna, H. G. D.
This experimental study examines how identity fusion and pro-group motivation influence employee productivity during a health crisis. Using a real-effort online experiment with 152 textile manufacturing employees in Sri Lanka, the study finds that identity-fused individuals are more pro-social, more pro-group motivated, and exert significantly greater effort compared to non-fused employees.
Key Insight Strengthening employees’ identity with their organisation enhances pro-group motivation and significantly increases effort and productivity, especially during periods of crisis.
DOI Article
2025

The Sooner, the Riskier: Temporal Psychological Distance and the Formation of Price Bubbles in Asset Markets

Isuru Samaranayake, Mithursan Asokkumar, Rakhitha Munasinghe, Sameera Fernando, Udayangani Rathnayake, Uwin Ariyarathne
This experimental study shows how temporal psychological distance influences overconfidence and price bubble formation in asset markets by spacing past experiences and reducing speculative bias.
Key Insight Increasing cognitive distance between market experiences weakens overconfidence and dampens bubble formation.
DOI Article
2024

Social Enterprise Intention of Non-STEM University Students: Experimental Evidence

Isuru Samaranayake, Mithursan Asokkumar, Maheswaran, S.
This experimental study examines how socio-economic constraints influence social enterprise intention among non-STEM university students in Sri Lanka. Using classroom-based choice experiments with 240 undergraduates, the research explores how financial pressure, job mismatch, and income-expenditure gaps affect prosocial decision-making and entrepreneurial intentions.
Key Insight Income-driven underemployment increases self-interested choices, while self-employment intentions are associated with stronger prosocial motivation and higher social enterprise orientation.
DOI Article