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Commitment and the Dynamics of Household Labour Supply

Author

Listed:
  • Alexandros Theloudis
  • Jorge Velilla
  • Pierre-André Chiappori
  • José Ignacio Giménez-Nadal
  • José Alberto Molina

Abstract

The extent to which individuals commit to their partner for life has important implications. This paper develops a life-cycle collective model of the household, through which it characterises behaviour in three prominent alternative types of commitment: full, limited and no commitment. We propose a test that distinguishes between all three types based on how contemporaneous and historical news affect household behaviour. Our test permits heterogeneity in the degree of commitment across households. Using recent data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we reject full and no commitment, while we find strong evidence for limited commitment.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandros Theloudis & Jorge Velilla & Pierre-André Chiappori & José Ignacio Giménez-Nadal & José Alberto Molina, 2025. "Commitment and the Dynamics of Household Labour Supply," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 135(665), pages 354-386.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:135:y:2025:i:665:p:354-386.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/ueae065
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Fabio Blasutto & Egor Kozlov, 2020. "(Changing) Marriage and Cohabitation Patterns in the US: do Divorce Laws Matter?," 2020 Papers pbl245, Job Market Papers.
    2. Salvatierra Casamayor, Alba, 2025. "Teletrabajo y desplazamientos: Modelización teórica y evidencia empírica para Estados Unidos [Telework and commuting: Theoretical modeling and empirical evidence for the United States]," MPRA Paper 126254, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Ignacio Belloc & José Alberto Molina & Jorge Velilla, 2026. "Effects of Lottery Wins on Household Labor Supply," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 94(1), pages 90-115, January.
    4. Belloc, Ignacio & Molina, José Alberto & Velilla, Jorge, 2025. "Inheritance Shocks and Expenditure Patterns: A Dynamic Collective Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 18243, IZA Network @ LISER.
    5. Jośé Ignacio Giménez-Nadal & José Alberto Molina & Jorge Velilla, 2025. "Commuting, Wages, and Household Decisions," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 1087, Boston College Department of Economics.
    6. Jorge Velilla & José Alberto Molina & Pierre-André Chiappori, 2025. "The price of breaking up: Wage shocks and household dissolution," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 1096, Boston College Department of Economics.
    7. Belloc, Ignacio & Molina, José Alberto & Velilla, Jorge, 2025. "Consumption responses to inheritances: The role of durable goods," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    8. Juan Carlos Campaña & José Ignacio Giménez-Nadal & José Alberto Molina & Jorge Velilla, 2024. "The shifters of intrahousehold decision-making in European countries," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 66(3), pages 1055-1101, March.
    9. Molina, Jose Alberto & Salvatierra, Alba & Velilla, Jorge, 2025. "Work from home and household behaviors," MPRA Paper 124906, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Cioinac, Elena, 2025. "Impacto de la legislación en la distribución de la riqueza: Evidencia global de las herencias y el ahorro [Impact of legislation on wealth distribution: Global evidence from inheritances and savings]," MPRA Paper 125142, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Ignacio Belloc & Pierre-André Chiappori & José Alberto Molina & Jorge Velilla, 2025. "Effects of wage shocks and saving changes on leisure time: The role of dynamic intra-household commitment," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 1099, Boston College Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • D15 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
    • 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

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