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Daily Labor Supply and Adaptive Reference Points

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  • Neil Thakral
  • Linh T. Tô

Abstract

This paper provides field evidence on how reference points adjust, a degree of freedom in reference-dependence models. Examining this in the context of cabdrivers' daily labor-supply behavior, we ask how the within-day timing of earnings affects decisions. Drivers work less in response to higher accumulated income, with a strong effect for recent earnings that gradually diminishes for earlier earnings. We estimate a structural model in which drivers work toward a reference point that adjusts to deviations from expected earnings with a lag. This dynamic view of reference dependence reconciles conflicting "neoclassical" and "behavioral" interpretations of evidence on daily labor-supply decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Neil Thakral & Linh T. Tô, 2021. "Daily Labor Supply and Adaptive Reference Points," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(8), pages 2417-2443, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:111:y:2021:i:8:p:2417-43
    DOI: 10.1257/aer.20170768
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel Reck & Arthur Seibold, 2022. "The Welfare Economics of Reference Dependence," CESifo Working Paper Series 9999, CESifo.
    2. Jonas Radbruch & Amelie Schiprowski, 2020. "Interview Sequences and the Formation of Subjective Assessments," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 045, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    3. Iman Ahmadi, 2023. "Face/Off: The adverse effects of increased competition," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 183-279, June.
    4. Markus Dertwinkel-Kalt & Mats Köster, 2020. "Salience and Skewness Preferences [Risk-neutral Firms can Extract Unbounded Profits from Consumers with Prospect Theory Preferences]," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 18(5), pages 2057-2107.
    5. Alessandro Saia, 2022. "Trouble Underground: Demand Shocks and the Labor Supply Behavior of New York City Taxi Drivers," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 8(1), pages 1-27, March.
    6. Jonas Radbruch & Amelie Schiprowski, 2024. "Interview Sequences and the Formation of Subjective Assessments," CESifo Working Paper Series 10957, CESifo.
    7. Robertas Zubrickas, 2022. "Loss aversion, labor supply, and income taxation," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 124(2), pages 579-598, April.
    8. David R. Agrawal & Kenneth Tester, 2024. "State Taxation of Nonresident Income and the Location of Work," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 16(1), pages 447-481, February.
    9. Barbos, Andrei & Kaisen, Joshua, 2022. "An Example of Negative Wage Elasticity for YouTube Content Creators," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 382-400.
    10. Zubrickas, Robertas, 2023. "The relative income effect and labor supply," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 209(C), pages 176-184.
    11. Balzer, Benjamin & Rosato, Antonio & von Wangenheim, Jonas, 2022. "Dutch vs. first-price auctions with expectations-based loss-averse bidders," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    12. Xiangfeng Ji & Xiaoyu Ao, 2021. "Travelers’ Bi-Attribute Decision Making on the Risky Mode Choice with Flow-Dependent Salience Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-24, April.
    13. Daniel Reck & Arthur Seibold, 2023. "The Welfare Economics of Reference Dependence," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2023_450, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    14. Lehe, Lewis & Pandey, Ayush, 2022. "Taxi service with heterogeneous drivers and a competitive medallion market," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    15. Gagnon-Bartsch, Tristan & Bushong, Benjamin, 2022. "Learning with misattribution of reference dependence," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    16. Andrea Guido & Alejandro Martinez-Marquina & Ryan Rholes, 2022. "Reference Dependence and the Role of Information Frictions," GREDEG Working Papers 2022-17, Groupe de REcherche en Droit, Economie, Gestion (GREDEG CNRS), Université Côte d'Azur, France.
    17. Jonas Radbruch & Amelie Schiprowski, 2024. "Interview Sequences and the Formation of Subjective Assessments," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 497, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    18. Kim, Youngsoo, 2022. "Taxi driver’s learning curves: An empirical analysis," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 1-13.
    19. Soetevent, Adriaan R., 2022. "Short run reference points and long run performance. (No) Evidence from running data," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities

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