Cache Me If You Can: Rational Addiction to the Leisure Activity of Geocaching

Colorado College Working Paper No. 2011-04

11 Pages Posted: 13 Jun 2011

See all articles by Kristina Shoyleva

Kristina Shoyleva

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Daniel K. N. Johnson

Colorado College - Department of Economics and Business; NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund

Date Written: June 13, 2011

Abstract

This paper tests whether geocaching, a real-world treasure hunt activity using GPS devices and clues provided by other participants, can be modeled as an addictive pursuit. Using over 36 million online activity logs posted by more than 675,000 users in 2010, we find strong evidence that the activity follows a pattern of rational addiction. The result has implications not only for this activity, but for a host of other social activities that increasingly blur the edges between online and real-world communities and activities.

Keywords: addiction, geocaching, online, rational, myopic

JEL Classification: D12, M3, R1

Suggested Citation

Shoyleva, Kristina and Johnson, Daniel Kent Neil, Cache Me If You Can: Rational Addiction to the Leisure Activity of Geocaching (June 13, 2011). Colorado College Working Paper No. 2011-04, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1864039 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1864039

Kristina Shoyleva

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Daniel Kent Neil Johnson (Contact Author)

Colorado College - Department of Economics and Business ( email )

14 E Cache La Poudre Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
United States
719-389-6654 (Phone)
719-389-6927 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://faculty1.coloradocollege.edu/~djohnson

NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund ( email )

40 Rector St.
5th Floor
New York, NY 10006
United States

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