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Do the Joneses make you financially vulnerable?

Author

Listed:
  • Barnett, Richard

    (School of Economics Drexel University)

  • Bhattacharya, Joydeep

    (Department of Economics Iowa State University)

  • Bunzel, Helle

    (Department of Economics Iowa State University)

Abstract

This paper studies a model economy populated with agents of differing incomes that get a utility boost when their consumption keeps up with their neighbors, the proverbial Joneses. The resulting utility function is non-concave. In this setup, participation in a fair consumption lottery has the potential to make some agents ex-ante better off but more financially vulnerable. More people of different incomes join the lottery pool when the ‘kick’ from keeping up increases. Worsening income inequality may increase the number of financially vulnerable people. The analysis offers broad-brushstroke insights into the connection between inequality and financial vulnerability. This paper studies a model economy populated with agents of differing incomes that get a utility boost when their consumption keeps up with their neighbors, the proverbial Joneses. The resulting utility function is non-concave. In this setup, participation in a fair consumption lottery has the potential to make some agents ex-ante better off but more financially vulnerable. More people of different incomes join the lottery pool when the ‘kick’ from keeping up increases. Worsening income inequality may increase the number of financially vulnerable people. The analysis offers broad-brushstroke insights into the connection between inequality and financial vulnerability.

Suggested Citation

  • Barnett, Richard & Bhattacharya, Joydeep & Bunzel, Helle, 2016. "Do the Joneses make you financially vulnerable?," School of Economics Working Paper Series 2016-11, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:drxlwp:2016_011
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Abel, Andrew B, 1990. "Asset Prices under Habit Formation and Catching Up with the Joneses," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(2), pages 38-42, May.
    2. Roger Hartley & Lisa Farrell, 2002. "Can Expected Utility Theory Explain Gambling?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(3), pages 613-624, June.
    3. Richard Barnett & Joydeep Bhattacharya & Helle Bunzel, 2010. "Choosing to keep up with the Joneses and income inequality," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 45(3), pages 469-496, December.
    4. Erzo F. P. Luttmer, 2005. "Neighbors as Negatives: Relative Earnings and Well-Being," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(3), pages 963-1002.
    5. Andrew E. Clark & Paul Frijters & Michael A. Shields, 2008. "Relative Income, Happiness, and Utility: An Explanation for the Easterlin Paradox and Other Puzzles," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 46(1), pages 95-144, March.
    6. John Creedy, 1997. "Labour Supply and Social Welfare when Utility Depends on a Threshold Consumption Level," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 73(221), pages 159-168, June.
    7. Creedy, John, 1997. "Labour Supply and Social Welfare When Utility Depends on a Threshold Consumption Level," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 73(221), pages 159-168, June.
    8. Bill Dupor & Wen-Fang Liu, 2003. "Jealousy and Equilibrium Overconsumption," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(1), pages 423-428, March.
    9. Milton Friedman & L. J. Savage, 1948. "The Utility Analysis of Choices Involving Risk," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 56(4), pages 279-279.
    10. John Creedy, 1998. "The Dynamics of Inequality and Poverty," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1484.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Keeping up with the Joneses; consumption externalities; non-concave utility; lotteries; inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • R21 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Housing Demand

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