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Revisiting positional choice: Survey evidence from Germany

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  • Behringer, Jan
  • Endres, Lukas
  • van Treeck, Till

Abstract

We conduct a survey to test for concerns about relative standing based on a large sample of the German population. Our survey approach asks respondents to choose between two hypothetical states of the world, in which they receive either a larger relative endowment or a larger absolute endowment that leaves them worse off in comparison to others. We receive the highest shares of positional answers for household income and one's children's IQ. We show that respondents with a larger social comparison orientation are significantly more likely to indicate positional preferences. This finding is robust despite some limited evidence that unintended alternative explanations based on feelings of material deprivation, feeling overworked, respondents' work ethic and environmental concerns affect respondents' choice.

Suggested Citation

  • Behringer, Jan & Endres, Lukas & van Treeck, Till, 2024. "Revisiting positional choice: Survey evidence from Germany," ifso working paper series 33, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute for Socioeconomics (ifso).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifsowp:285374
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jan Behringer & Lukas Endres & Till van Treeck, 2023. "Income inequality, household consumption and status competition in Germany," FMM Working Paper 90-2023, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    2. Robert H. Frank, 2005. "Positional Externalities Cause Large and Preventable Welfare Losses," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(2), pages 137-141, May.
    3. Fredrik Carlsson & Olof Johansson‐Stenman & Peter Martinsson, 2007. "Do You Enjoy Having More than Others? Survey Evidence of Positional Goods," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 74(296), pages 586-598, November.
    4. David Card & Alexandre Mas & Enrico Moretti & Emmanuel Saez, 2012. "Inequality at Work: The Effect of Peer Salaries on Job Satisfaction," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(6), pages 2981-3003, October.
    5. Oh, Seung-Yun & Park, Yongjin & Bowles, Samuel, 2012. "Veblen effects, political representation, and the reduction in working time over the 20th century," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 83(2), pages 218-242.
    6. Samuel Bowles & Yongjin Park, 2005. "Emulation, Inequality, and Work Hours: Was Thorsten Veblen Right?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 115(507), pages 397-412, November.
    7. 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.
    8. Hillesheim, Inga & Mechtel, Mario, 2013. "How much do others matter? Explaining positional concerns for different goods and personal characteristics," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 61-77.
    9. Marianne Bertrand & Adair Morse, 2016. "Trickle-Down Consumption," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 98(5), pages 863-879, December.
    10. Sara J. Solnick & David Hemenway, 2005. "Are Positional Concerns Stronger in Some Domains than in Others?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(2), pages 147-151, May.
    11. Behringer, Jan & Endres, Lukas & van Treeck, Till, 2023. "Income inequality, household consumption and status competition in Germany," ifso working paper series 25, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute for Socioeconomics (ifso).
    12. Solnick, Sara J. & Hong, Li & Hemenway, David, 2007. "Positional goods in the United States and China," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 537-545, August.
    13. Jan Behringer & Lukas Endres & Till van Treeck, 2023. "Income inequality, household consumption and status competition in Germany," IMK Working Paper 219-2023, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social Comparisons; Positionality; Survey Data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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