The stability of self-control in a population-representative study

Deborah Cobb-Clark, Nancy Kong and Hannah Schildberg-Hörisch

Journal of Economic Psychology, 2023, vol. 95, issue C

Abstract: We investigate the stability of self-control at the population level. Analyzing repeated Brief Self-Control Scale scores, we demonstrate that self-control exhibits a high degree of mean-level, rank-order, and individual-level stability over the medium term. Changes in self-control are not associated with major life events, nor are they economically important. The stability of self-control is particularly striking given that our study period (2017–2020) spans the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Self-control; Brief self-control scale; SOEP; Stability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D01 D91 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Working Paper: The Stability of Self-Control in a Population Representative Study (2021)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:95:y:2023:i:c:s0167487022001118

DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2022.102599

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