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Aversion for early death and the structure of time preference

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Author Info
Antoine Bommier ()
Abstract

This papers provides an explanation for time preference: we show that in the case of uncertain lifetime, future consumption should be weighted not only according to survival probability, but also according to a discount factor due to risk aversion with respect to the length of life. When individuals are not risk neutral, this discount factor is generally not exponential. Time inconsistent preferences may therefore appear as a consequence of risk aversion with respect to the length of life. Simulations based on plausible utility for life years and on realistic mortality patterns provide in fact a strong support for hyperbolic discounting.

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File URL: http://www.inra.fr/Internet/Departements/ESR/UR/lea/documents/wp/wp0106.pdf
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquee, INRA in its series Research Unit Working Papers with number 0106.

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Length: 49 pages
Date of creation: Sep 2001
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:lea:leawpi:0106

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Related research
Keywords: Intertemporal choice; life cycle model; uncertain lifetime; time inconsistency; hyperbolic discounting; utility for life years.;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
D91 - Microeconomics - - Intertemporal Choice and Growth - - - Intertemporal Consumer Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
J17 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Value of Life; Foregone Income

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.:

  1. Lawrance, Emily C, 1991. "Poverty and the Rate of Time Preference: Evidence from Panel Data," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(1), pages 54-77, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Miyamoto, John M. & Eraker, Stephen A., 1989. "Parametric models of the utility of survival duration: Tests of axioms in a generic utility framework," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 166-202, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Masson, A., 1997. "L'actualisation du futur en économie : la succession temporelle des "moi" et des générations," DELTA Working Papers 97-18, DELTA (Ecole normale supérieure).
  4. Laibson, David, 1997. "Golden Eggs and Hyperbolic Discounting," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 112(2), pages 443-77, May.
  5. Loewenstein, George & Prelec, Drazen, 1992. "Anomalies in Intertemporal Choice: Evidence and an Interpretation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 107(2), pages 573-97, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. George Loewenstein & Richard H Thaler, 2003. "Anomalies: Intertemporal Choice," Levine's Working Paper Archive 618897000000000784, David K. Levine. [Downloadable!]
  7. Ehrlich, Isaac & Chuma, Hiroyuki, 1990. "A Model of the Demand for Longevity and the Value of Life Extension," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(4), pages 761-82, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Antoine Bommier, 2001. "Uncertain lifetime and intertemporal choice : risk aversion as a rationale for time discounting," Research Unit Working Papers 0108, Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquee, INRA. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Azfar, Omar, 1999. "Rationalizing hyperbolic discounting," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 245-252, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Harris, Christopher & Laibson, David, 2001. "Dynamic Choices of Hyperbolic Consumers," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 69(4), pages 935-57, July.
    Other versions:
  11. Becker, Gary S & Mulligan, Casey B, 1997. "The Endogenous Determination of Time Preference," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 112(3), pages 729-58, August.
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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. Sanchez-Romero, Miguel, 2005. "“Welfare Gains and Annuities Demand”," Working Papers in Economic Theory 2005/02, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), Department of Economic Analysis (Economic Theory and Economic History). [Downloadable!]
  2. Antoine Bommier, 2001. "Uncertain lifetime and intertemporal choice : risk aversion as a rationale for time discounting," Research Unit Working Papers 0108, Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquee, INRA. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Halevy, Yoram, 2004. "Strotz meets Allais: Diminishing Impatience and the Certainty Effect," Micro Theory Working Papers halevy-04-10-29-10-08-43, Microeconomics.ca Website, revised 19 Jun 2008. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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