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Veblen effect, search for status goods, and negative utility of conspicuous leisure

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  • Malakhov, Sergey

Abstract

When expected savings on purchases are greater than the wage rate, the optimal search results in the negative marginal utility of leisure. The search transforms the classical backward bending effect and the leisure becomes complementary to the search. Consumers compensate “bad” leisure by status goods of exceptional quality on markets with high price dispersion. Status consumption complements “bad” conspicuous leisure and produces the Veblen effect as well as the “gardening aboard the boat” effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Malakhov, Sergey, 2012. "Veblen effect, search for status goods, and negative utility of conspicuous leisure," MPRA Paper 40809, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:40809
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sergey MALAKHOV, 2015. "Propensity to Search: Common, Leisure, and Labor Models of Consumer Behavior," Expert Journal of Economics, Sprint Investify, vol. 3(1), pages 63-76.
    2. Malakhov, Sergey, 2019. "Consumption-leisure complementarity versus income elasticity of demand under equilibrium price dispersion," MPRA Paper 92971, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Sergey MALAKHOV, 2013. "Money Flexibility And Optimal Consumption-Leisure Choice Under Price Dispersion," Theoretical and Practical Research in the Economic Fields, ASERS Publishing, vol. 4(1), pages 77-88.
    4. Matt Wimble & John Tripp & Brandis Phillips & Nash Milic, 2016. "On search cost and the long tail: the moderating role of search cost," Information Systems and e-Business Management, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 507-531, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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