The role of psychological factors in hypothetical vs non-hypothetical auction: the case of food waste reduction

The current paper aims to contribute to the theoretical explanation of different behaviours shown by individuals in hypothetical and real settings in stated preferences techniques. The factors determining this difference have not been fully investigated, and several authors emphasize the lack of clarity about this phenomenon. Specially, the role of implicit associations is an understudied topic. Therefore, we have exploredthe extent to which several psychological factors—implicit associations, explicit attitude, perceived behavioural control, and social desirability—account for the gap between individuals’ willingness to pay (WTP) in hypothetical and real settings. The experimental design provides for the joint use of hypothetical and real auctions. The product chosen for the auctions is a French baguette, certified vs. not certified against food waste. Results show that the explicit attitude has a marginal effect both in the hypothetical and real setting, whereas the implicit associations, perceived behavioural control, and social desirability significantly affect participants’ WTP only in the real setting. Theoretical and practical implications of these results have been discussed, as well as the limitations of the current study and directions for further investigations.