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Women, Children and Patience: Experimental Evidence from Indian Villages

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Author Info
Bauer, Michal () (Charles University, Prague)
Chytilová, Julie () (Charles University, Prague)

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Abstract

In this paper we study the link between women's responsibility for children and their preferences. We use a large random sample of individuals living in rural India, incentive compatible measures of patience and risk aversion, and detailed survey data. We find more patient choices among women who have a higher number of children. The age of children matters: The link with patience is specific for children below 18 years old, and the highest level of patience is associated with having three children. We do not observe this link among men. Taken together, we find significant gender differences in patience that are predicted by a higher number of children. The results are robust to controlling for age, education, income constraints, and individual and location characteristics. These findings suggest an important context when the spending preferences of spouses diverge, and support the view that empowering women in developing countries should lead to more future-oriented choices of households.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 4241.

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Length: 40 pages
Date of creation: Jun 2009
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp4241

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Related research
Keywords: time discounting; gender; children; experiment; India;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
D91 - Microeconomics - - Intertemporal Choice and Growth - - - Intertemporal Consumer Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving

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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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    Other versions:
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    Other versions:
  9. Juan Camilo Cardenas & Jeffrey Carpenter, 2008. "Behavioural Development Economics: Lessons from Field Labs in the Developing World," The Journal of Development Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 44(3), pages 311-338. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Shane Frederick & George Loewenstein & Ted O'Donoghue, 2002. "Time Discounting and Time Preference: A Critical Review," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(2), pages 351-401, June.
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  14. 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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    Other versions:
  16. Steffen Andersen & Glenn W. Harrison & Morten I. Lau & E. Elisabet Rutström, 2008. "Eliciting Risk and Time Preferences," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 76(3), pages 583-618, 05. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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