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Suicide, Aging, and Permanent Income: A Social Norms Approach

Author

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  • Joe Chen

    (National Chengchi University)

  • Shih-Chang Huang

    (Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research)

Abstract

Existing economic models of suicide fail to explain sudden drastic change (“displacement”) in suicides and the lack of responses (“persistence”) in suicides after changes in underlying socioeconomic variables. A social norms model of suicide successfully explains the displacement and persistence of suicides as observed in some countries. The model suggests the role of social norms in suicides is complicated; social norms can act as a double-bladed sword. When there are few people in the society committed suicides, social norms suppresses the equilibrium suicides; on the other hand, when there are many people in the society committed suicides, social norms may promote the equilibrium suicides.

Suggested Citation

  • Joe Chen & Shih-Chang Huang, 2020. "Suicide, Aging, and Permanent Income: A Social Norms Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 867-885, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:150:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-020-02359-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-020-02359-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Suicide; Aging; Permanent income; Social norms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J17 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Value of Life; Foregone Income

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