Keeping up with the Kardashians: Evidence from a choice experiment with a nationally representative sample
Tomasz Gajderowicz,
Roman Kozłowski,
Marek Giergiczny and
Michał Krawczyk
Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), 2023, vol. 106, issue C
Abstract:
This study aims at investigating preferences regarding nominal income, standing in income distribution, and income change over time. We use a nationally representative sample and employ the Discrete Choice Experiment methodology in the random utility framework. We estimate trade-offs between the absolute income, income change over time, and relative standing in income distribution. The general finding is that the importance of relative income is greater for wealthier respondents; moreover, respondents are willing to sacrifice a large amount of their overall well-being for a constant upward trend in their earnings during their life cycle. Males are particularly sensitive to relative income: they are willing to “burn” nominal money to reach a higher status, also controlling for wealth. Our study provides evidence for the driving force behind the pursuit of wealth in more affluent countries. Despite high aggregate consumption levels, there is a concern for status as measured by relative standing in society and own income change over time.
Keywords: Relative income; Income distribution; Income trend; Happiness; Well-being (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C9 D3 D6 D9 I3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:soceco:v:106:y:2023:i:c:s2214804323001003
DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2023.102074
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