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The effect of language on economic behavior: Examining the causal link between future tense and time preference in the lab

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  • Chen, Josie I.
  • He, Tai-Sen
  • Riyanto, Yohanes E.

Abstract

Since Chen (2013), a fast-growing body of literature has documented abundant supporting evidence for the linguistic-savings hypothesis. Despite this influx of research, direct causal evidence is limited. In this study, we take advantage of a unique linguistic feature of the Chinese language: speakers can freely choose whether or not to use the future tense when referring to a future event. This flexibility allows us to unobtrusively manipulate the use of “will” in the description of the rewards in a standard time preference task to cleanly examine its effect on intertemporal decisions. However, our results do not lend further empirical support for the linguistic-savings hypothesis.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Josie I. & He, Tai-Sen & Riyanto, Yohanes E., 2019. "The effect of language on economic behavior: Examining the causal link between future tense and time preference in the lab," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:120:y:2019:i:c:s001429211930159x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2019.103307
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    Cited by:

    1. Silvia Angerer & Daniela Glätzle-Rützler & Philipp Lergetporer & Matthias Sutter, 2021. "The effects of language on patience: an experimental replication study of the linguistic-savings hypothesis in Austria," Journal of the Economic Science Association, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 7(1), pages 88-97, September.
    2. Tai-Sen He & Yohanes E. Riyanto & Saori C. Tanaka & Katsunori Yamada, 2020. "Pronoun drop and prosocial behavior: experimental evidence from Japan," Journal of the Economic Science Association, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 6(1), pages 13-25, June.
    3. Gregory W. Caskey & Nabamita Dutta, 2022. "Financial Development and Language Structures," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-16, December.
    4. Zheng, Yeqiu & Gu, Yan & van Soest, Arthur, 2023. "Beyond financial knowledge and IQ: The effect of temporal values on pension planning, homeownership and financial wealth of natives and immigrants in the Netherlands," OSF Preprints 6cwk7, Center for Open Science.
    5. Clist, Paul & Hong, Ying-yi, 2023. "Do international students learn foreign preferences? The interplay of language, identity and assimilation," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    6. Niklas Ziemann, 2022. "You will receive your money next week! Experimental evidence on the role of Future-Time Reference for intertemporal decision-making," CEPA Discussion Papers 56, Center for Economic Policy Analysis.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Time preference; Future tense; Languages; Linguistic-savings hypothesis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D15 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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