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Rational Inattention and the Dynamics of Consumption and Wealth in General Equilibrium

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  • Luo, Yulei
  • Nie, Jun
  • Wang, Gaowang
  • Young, Eric

Abstract

We use a recursive utility version of a basic Huggett (1993) model to study the cross-sectional dispersion of consumption and wealth (relative to income). The basic model implies too little dispersion compared to the data, whereas a one-parameter extension to include rational inattention (limited information processing) delivers a better fit to both facts in general equilibrium. In particular, intertemporal substitution plays an important role in determining the two key dispersion moments via affecting the degree of optimal attention in equilibrium. Alternative models that rely on habit formation, incomplete information about current income, or borrowing constraints are not consistent with the facts we document.

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  • Luo, Yulei & Nie, Jun & Wang, Gaowang & Young, Eric, 2017. "Rational Inattention and the Dynamics of Consumption and Wealth in General Equilibrium," MPRA Paper 80045, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:80045
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    Cited by:

    1. George-Marios Angeletos & Chen Lian, 2018. "Forward Guidance without Common Knowledge," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 108(9), pages 2477-2512, September.
    2. Christopher D. Carroll & Edmund Crawley & Jiri Slacalek & Kiichi Tokuoka & Matthew N. White, 2020. "Sticky Expectations and Consumption Dynamics," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 12(3), pages 40-76, July.
    3. Bartosz Maćkowiak & Filip Matějka & Mirko Wiederholt, 2023. "Rational Inattention: A Review," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 61(1), pages 226-273, March.
    4. Zhang, Yuhua & Niu, Yingjie & Wu, Ting, 2020. "Stochastic interest rates under rational inattention," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    5. Ellison, Martin & Macaulay, Alistair, 2021. "A rational inattention unemployment trap," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    6. Yulei Luo & Jun Nie & Penghui Yin, 2022. "Attention Allocation and Heterogenous Consumption Responses," Research Working Paper RWP 22-07, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
    7. Penghui Yin, 2018. "Optimal Amount of Attention to Capital Income Risk and Heterogeneous Precautionary Saving Behavior," CESifo Working Paper Series 7413, CESifo.
    8. Duffy, John & Li, Yue, 2019. "Lifecycle consumption under different income profiles: Evidence and theory," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 74-94.
    9. Jorge Miranda-Pino & Daniel Murphy & Kieran Walsh & Eric Young, 2020. "A Model of Expenditure Shocks," Working Papers 20-04, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    10. Roc Armenter & Michèle Müller-Itten & Zachary Stangebye, 2020. "Rational Inattention via Ignorance Equivalence," Working Papers 20-24, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
    11. J r my Boccanfuso, 2022. "Consumption Response Heterogeneity and Dynamics with an Inattention Region," Working Papers wp1172, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    12. Roc Armenter & Michèle Müller-Itten & Zachary Strangebye, 2021. "Geometric Methods for Finite Rational Inattention," Working Papers 21-30, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
    13. Mu, Congming & Yang, Jinqiang & Zhang, Yuhua, 2020. "Investment timing with information-processing constraints," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    14. Wenting Song & Samuel Stern, 2022. "Firm Inattention and the Efficacy of Monetary Policy: A Text-Based Approach," Staff Working Papers 22-3, Bank of Canada.
    15. Yin, Penghui, 2021. "Optimal attention and heterogeneous precautionary saving behavior," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    16. Zhang, Yuhua & Mu, Congming, 2021. "Optimal ownership of entrepreneurial firms with rational inattention," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    17. Toda, Alexis Akira, 2017. "Huggett economies with multiple stationary equilibria," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 77-90.
    18. Yulei Luo & Jun Nie & Eric R Young, 2020. "Ambiguity, Low Risk-Free Rates and Consumption Inequality," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 130(632), pages 2649-2679.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Rational Inattention; General Equilibrium; Consumption and Wealth Volatility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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