Problem
Economist Dean Karlan has opened stickk.com, a nonprofit entity that he calls a "commitment store." Individuals attempting to achieve a goal (to lose weight, to quit smoking, to write daily in a journal, etc.) authorize stickk.com to charge them a prespecified amount if they fail to reach their goal (as determined by a third-party referee).
a. What behavioral bias is stickk.com designed to help overcome?
b. Should they fail, subscribers are given the option of donating the fees to a charity they support or to an organization that they despise. Why might allowing the subscribers to direct their losses to a favorite charity weaken their resolve?
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.