Impatience and Uncertainty: Experimental Decisions Predict Adolescents' Field Behavior

50 Pages Posted: 17 Nov 2011

See all articles by Matthias Sutter

Matthias Sutter

Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods

Martin G. Kocher

University of Vienna

Daniela Glätzle-Rützler

University of Innsbruck - Department of Public Finance

Stefan T. Trautmann

Heidelberg University - Alfred Weber Institute for Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: November 17, 2011

Abstract

We study risk attitudes, ambiguity attitudes, and time preferences of 661 children and adolescents, aged ten to eighteen years, in an incentivized experiment and relate experimental choices to field behavior. Experimental measures of impatience are found to be significant predictors of health-related field behavior, saving decisions and conduct at school. In particular, more impatient children and adolescents are more likely to spend money on alcohol and cigarettes, have a higher body mass index, are less likely to save money and show worse conduct at school. Experimental measures for risk and ambiguity attitudes are only weak predictors of field behavior.

Keywords: experiments with children and adolescents, risk, ambiguity, time preferences, health status, savings, conduct at school, external validity

JEL Classification: C910, C930, D810, D900

Suggested Citation

Sutter, Matthias and Kocher, Martin G. and Glätzle-Rützler, Daniela and Trautmann, Stefan T., Impatience and Uncertainty: Experimental Decisions Predict Adolescents' Field Behavior (November 17, 2011). CESifo Working Paper No. 3635, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1961032 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1961032

Matthias Sutter (Contact Author)

Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods ( email )

Kurt-Schumacher-Str. 10
D-53113 Bonn, 53113
Germany

Martin G. Kocher

University of Vienna ( email )

Bruenner Strasse 72
Vienna, Vienna 1090
Austria

Daniela Glätzle-Rützler

University of Innsbruck - Department of Public Finance ( email )

Innrain 52
Innsbruck, 6020
Austria

Stefan T. Trautmann

Heidelberg University - Alfred Weber Institute for Economics ( email )

Grabengasse 14
Heidelberg, D-69117
Germany

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