Are Two Bads Better Than One? A Model of Sensory Limitations

Lars Lefgren (), Olga Stoddard and John Stovall ()

No 25060, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We present a theoretical framework which explains the optimizing behavior of individuals who are exposed to many latent stimuli but prone to experience only the most salient one. We show that individuals with such preferences may find it optimal to engage in seemingly dysfunctional behavior such as self-harm. Our model also explains the behavior of individuals experiencing depression or trapped by multiple competing problems. We present experimental evidence suggesting such preferences explain the behavior of more than two thirds of subjects exposed to single and multiple painful stimuli.

JEL-codes: D9 I1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp
Note: CH EH
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Published as Lefgren, Lars J. & Stoddard, Olga B. & Stovall, John E., 2021. "Rationalizing self-defeating behaviors: Theory and evidence," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.nber.org/papers/w25060.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Rationalizing self-defeating behaviors: Theory and evidence (2021)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25060

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
http://www.nber.org/papers/w25060

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by ().