Adolescent time and risk preferences: Measurement, determinants and field consequences

Anya Samek, Andre Gray, Ashlesha Datar and Nancy Nicosia

Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2021, vol. 184, issue C, 460-488

Abstract: We use experimental and survey measures to evaluate the time and risk preferences of nearly 500 adolescents aged 16–19 years old. We find that survey questions about time and risk preferences are weakly correlated with corresponding experiments in which participants trade-off monetary rewards. We find potentially substantial inter-generational transfer of time and risk preferences: parent time and risk preferences are strongly predictive of adolescent preferences for both survey and experimental measures. There are also interesting heterogeneities: girls are less risk seeking and more patient than boys when risk and time preferences are measured via surveys. Interestingly, the survey measures have more predictive power for field outcomes than the experimental measures. Higher patience as measured by the survey is significantly associated with lower body mass index (BMI), less time spent on sedentary activities, more time spent on physical activity and lower consumption of fast food and sweets.

Keywords: Field experiment; Adolescent; Time preferences; Risk preferences; Measurement; Parents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C72 C91 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:184:y:2021:i:c:p:460-488

DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2020.12.023

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