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Impatience and credit behavior: evidence from a field experiment

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Author Info
Stephan Meier
Charles Sprenger

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Abstract

This paper tests whether heterogeneity of time preferences can explain individual credit behavior. In a field experiment targeting individuals from low-to-moderate income households, we measure individual time preferences through choice experiments, and then match these time preference measures to individual credit reports and annual tax returns. ; We find that, controlling for disposable income and other individual characteristics, individuals who are less patient have lower credit scores and higher default rates. Moreover, people with dynamically inconsistent (quasi-hyperbolic) preferences have higher active borrowing levels.

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Paper provided by Federal Reserve Bank of Boston in its series Working Papers with number 07-3.

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Date of creation: 2007
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Handle: RePEc:fip:fedbwp:07-3

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Keywords: Consumer credit;

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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  20. Ted O'Donoghue & Matthew Rabin, 1999. "Doing It Now or Later," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(1), pages 103-124, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  21. Glenn W. Harrison & Morten I. Lau & E. Elisabet Rutstrom & Melonie B. Williams, 2002. "Estimating Individual Discount Rates in Denmark: A Field Experiment," Artefactual Field Experiments 0053, The Field Experiments Website. [Downloadable!]
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  23. David B. Gross & Nicholas S. Souleles, 2002. "Do Liquidity Constraints And Interest Rates Matter For Consumer Behavior? Evidence From Credit Card Data," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 117(1), pages 149-185, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Marques Benton & Krista Blair & Marianne Crowe & Scott Schuh, 2007. "The Boston Fed study of consumer behavior and payment choice: a survey of Federal Reserve System employees," Public Policy Discussion Paper 07-1, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. [Downloadable!]
  2. Daniel J. Benjamin & James J. Choi & A. Joshua Strickland, 2007. "Social Identity and Preferences," NBER Working Papers 13309, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Ernst Fehr & Andreas Leibbrandt, 2008. "Cooperativeness and Impatience in the Tragedy of the Commons," IEW - Working Papers iewwp378, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - IEW. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Jordan, Jeff & Castillio, Marco & Ferraro, Paul J. & Petrie, Regan, 2008. "Estimating Child Time Preferences: Aiding Rural Schools in Improving Human Capital Formation," 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida 6368, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association). [Downloadable!]
  5. Meier, Stephan & Sprenger, Charles, 2008. "Discounting Financial Literacy: Time Preferences and Participation in Financial Education Programs," IZA Discussion Papers 3507, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  6. Marques Benton & Stephan Meier & Charles Sprenger, 2007. "Overborrowing and undersaving: lessons and policy implications from research in behavioral economics," Public and Community Affairs Discussion Papers 2007-4, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. [Downloadable!]
  7. Charles Sprenger & Joanna Stavins, 2008. "Credit card debt and payment use," Working Papers 08-2, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. [Downloadable!]
  8. Marco Castillo & Paul Ferraro & Jeff Jordan & Ragan Petrie, 2008. "The Today and Tomorrow of Kids," Experimental Economics Center Working Paper Series 2008-10, Experimental Economics Center, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University. [Downloadable!]
  9. Sarah Jacobson & Ragan Petrie, 2009. "Learning from mistakes: What do inconsistent choices over risk tell us?," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 38(2), pages 143-158, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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