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Modelling Addiction in Life-Cycle Models: Revisiting the Treatment of Latent Stocks and Other Unobservables

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  • Biørn, Erik

    (Dept. of Economics, University of Oslo)

Abstract

Dynamic modeling of demand for goods whose cumulated stocks enter an intertemporal utility function as latent variables, is discussed. The issues include: how represent addiction, how handle unobserved expectations and changing plans, how deal with `dynamic inconsistency'? Arguments are put forth to give all optimizing conditions attention, not only those in which all variables are observable. If the latter, fairly common, `limited information-reduced dimension' strategy is pursued, problems are shown to arise in attempting to identify coe±cients of the preference structure and to test for addictive stocks. Examples, based on quadratic utility functions, illustrate the main points and challenge the validity of testing the `rational addiction' hypothesis, by using linear, single- equation autoregressive models, as suggested by Becker, Grossman, and Murphy (1994) and adopted in several following studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Biørn, Erik, 2009. "Modelling Addiction in Life-Cycle Models: Revisiting the Treatment of Latent Stocks and Other Unobservables," Memorandum 26/2009, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:hhs:osloec:2009_026
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    File URL: https://www.sv.uio.no/econ/english/research/unpublished-works/working-papers/pdf-files/2009/Memo-26-2009.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Life-cycle model. Addiction. Identi¯cation. Latent stocks; Perfect foresight; Ra- tional expectations; Dynamic inconsistency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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