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Is Patience Malleable via Educational Intervention? Evidence on the Role of Age in Field Experiments

Author

Listed:
  • Kaiser, Tim

    (University of Kaiserslautern)

  • Menkhoff, Lukas

    (DIW Berlin)

  • Oberrauch, Luis

    (University of Kaiserslautern)

Abstract

We study the age-dependent malleability of patience via educational interventions designed to foster financial decision-making capabilities and to induce a more future-oriented mindset. We conduct a field experiment covering both youths and adults in Uganda and aggregate evidence from earlier experiments to study the generalizability of effects. In our field experiment, we find heterogenous effects by age: adults' patience and discount factors are unaffected by the intervention after 15 months follow-up, but we observe large effects on patience and estimated discount factors and field saving behavior for youth. In the meta-analysis, we find that the results are generalizable across contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Kaiser, Tim & Menkhoff, Lukas & Oberrauch, Luis, 2023. "Is Patience Malleable via Educational Intervention? Evidence on the Role of Age in Field Experiments," IZA Discussion Papers 16399, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16399
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James Andreoni & Charles Sprenger, 2012. "Estimating Time Preferences from Convex Budgets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(7), pages 3333-3356, December.
    2. David Laibson, 1997. "Golden Eggs and Hyperbolic Discounting," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(2), pages 443-478.
    3. Sule Alan & Seda Ertac, 2018. "Fostering Patience in the Classroom: Results from Randomized Educational Intervention," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 126(5), pages 1865-1911.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Kaiser, Tim & Lusardi, Annamaria, 2024. "Financial Literacy and Financial Education: An Overview," IZA Discussion Papers 16926, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    patience; time preferences; malleability; field experiment; educational intervention;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D15 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • G53 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Financial Literacy

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