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  3. American Economic Review
  4. June 2016
  5. Measuring Discounting without Measuring Utility

American Economic Review

ISSN 0002-8282 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7981 (Online)

Measuring Discounting without Measuring Utility

  • Arthur E. Attema
  • Han Bleichrodt
  • Yu Gao
  • Zhenxing Huang
  • Peter P. Wakker
American Economic Review
vol. 106, no. 6, June 2016
(pp. 1476–94)
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Abstract

We introduce a new method to measure the temporal discounting of money. Unlike preceding methods, our method requires neither knowledge nor measurement of utility. It is easier to implement, clearer to subjects, and requires fewer measurements than existing methods.

Citation

Attema, Arthur E., Han Bleichrodt, Yu Gao, Zhenxing Huang, and Peter P. Wakker. 2016. "Measuring Discounting without Measuring Utility." American Economic Review, 106 (6): 1476–94. DOI: 10.1257/aer.20150208

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • C91 Design of Experiments: Laboratory, Individual
  • D11 Consumer Economics: Theory
  • D12 Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
  • D15 Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving