The Effect of Exposure: Evidence from Spatial Choices in Nairobi

This paper studies how exposure influences work location decisions among casual workers. Using a field experiment in which training locations are randomized, the authors find that workers sacrifice 22% of the median daily wage to avoid working in unfamiliar locations, with a single one-hour visit eliminating this aversion. Workers anticipate a substantial portion of exposure’s effect on later preferences. The results suggest that perceived fixed costs of exposure, rather than sorting or quality uncertainty, drive decisions, and unfamiliar neighborhoods are less likely to enter workers’ consideration sets.