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Revealing Naïveté and Sophistication from Procrastination and Preproperation

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  • David J. Freeman

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel way of distinguishing whether a person is naive or sophisticated about her own dynamic inconsistency using only her task-completion behavior. It shows that adding an unused extra opportunity to complete a task can lead a naïve (but not a sophisticated) person to complete it later and can lead a sophisticated (but not a naïve) person to complete the task earlier. These results provide a framework for revealing preference and sophistication types from behavior in a general environment that includes that of O'Donoghue and Rabin (1999).

Suggested Citation

  • David J. Freeman, 2021. "Revealing Naïveté and Sophistication from Procrastination and Preproperation," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 13(2), pages 402-438, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmic:v:13:y:2021:i:2:p:402-38
    DOI: 10.1257/mic.20170270
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    Cited by:

    1. David S. Ahn & Ryota Iijima & Todd Sarver, 2017. "Naivet� About Temptation and Self-Control: Foundations for Naive Quasi-Hyperbolic Discounting," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 2099R, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University, revised Feb 2018.
    2. Xi Zhi Lim, 2021. "Ordered Reference Dependent Choice," Papers 2105.12915, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2024.
    3. Ahn, David S. & Iijima, Ryota & Sarver, Todd, 2020. "Naivete about temptation and self-control: Foundations for recursive naive quasi-hyperbolic discounting," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    4. Jiang, Jiajun & Lee, Yi-Tsung & Liu, Yu-Jane & Meng, Juanjuan, 2025. "Inattention and credit card repayment date," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    5. David J. Freeman & Kevin Laughren, 2024. "Task completion without commitment," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 27(2), pages 273-298, April.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D15 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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