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Earthquakes and Intertemporal Preferences: A Field Study in Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Attanasi Giuseppe

    (Department of Economics and Law, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy)

  • Nese Annamaria

    (Department of Economics and Statistics, 204481 University of Salerno , Fisciano (Salerno), Italy)

  • Sbriglia Patrizia

    (Department of Economics, University of Campania - Luigi Vanvitelli, Capua (Caserta), Italy)

  • Senatore Luigi

    (Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Salerno, Fisciano (Salerno), Italy)

Abstract

In this paper, we report data drawn from a field study in an Italian region (Campania), where a disastrous earthquake took place in 1980. We rely on subjects’ responses to a questionnaire and on experimental measures. We compare the time preferences in two different samples, the first one constituted by subjects who directly experienced the earthquake and its aftermath effects, and the second one constituted by subjects who lived far away from the earthquake epicentre, but in urban areas with comparable socioeconomic features. Our aim is to test whether there are long run effects of environmental disasters on time preferences. We find significant differences, since individuals living close to the epicentre are more patient than subjects in the alternative sample, also controlling for risk aversion.

Suggested Citation

  • Attanasi Giuseppe & Nese Annamaria & Sbriglia Patrizia & Senatore Luigi, 2025. "Earthquakes and Intertemporal Preferences: A Field Study in Italy," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 25(1), pages 139-151.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:25:y:2025:i:1:p:139-151:n:1004
    DOI: 10.1515/bejeap-2024-0180
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    field studies; environmental disasters; intertemporal preferences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities

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