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Childhood self-control and adult pension participation

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  • Lades, Leonhard K.
  • Egan, Mark
  • Delaney, Liam
  • Daly, Michael

Abstract

Self-control problems have been proposed as a key reason for low pension saving rates, yet evidence of this link remains scarce. We test the association between childhood self-control and adult pension participation using data from 14,223 individuals from two nationally-representative British cohorts. We find that a 1 standard deviation increase in self-control predicts a 4–5 percentage point higher probability of having a pension. Mediation analysis shows that about 50–60 percent of this association is explained by the contribution of self-control to a range of factors (e.g. education, economic status, home-ownership) which are associated with pension uptake throughout adulthood.

Suggested Citation

  • Lades, Leonhard K. & Egan, Mark & Delaney, Liam & Daly, Michael, 2017. "Childhood self-control and adult pension participation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 102-104.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:161:y:2017:i:c:p:102-104
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2017.09.025
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. James J. Choi & David Laibson & Brigitte C. Madrian & Andrew Metrick, 2002. "Defined Contribution Pensions: Plan Rules, Participant Choices, and the Path of Least Resistance," NBER Chapters, in: Tax Policy and the Economy, Volume 16, pages 67-114, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nolan, Anne & Whelan, Adele & McGuinness, Seamus & Maître, Bertrand, 2019. "Gender, pensions and income in retirement," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS87, June.
    2. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Dahmann, Sarah C. & Kamhöfer, Daniel A. & Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah, 2022. "The Predictive Power of Self-Control for Life Outcomes," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 725-744.
    3. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Dahmann, Sarah Christina & Kamhöfer, Daniel A. & Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah, 2019. "Self-control: Determinants, life outcomes and intergenerational implications," DICE Discussion Papers 319, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    4. Boto-García, David & Bucciol, Alessandro & Manfrè, Martina, 2022. "The role of financial socialization and self-control on saving habits," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 100(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Self-control; Pension; Retirement; Cohort studies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

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