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Decreasing relative impatience

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  • Rohde, Kirsten I.M.

Abstract

Prelec (2004) showed that the Arrow-Pratt degree of convexity of the logarithm of the discount function can serve as a measure of decreasing impatience and of the corresponding time-inconsistency. In decision under risk and uncertainty the convexity of the utility function itself, not of its logarithm, has empirical meaning in terms of risk attitude. This paper introduces decreasing relative impatience, which is directly related to the degree of convexity of the discount function. By giving empirical meaning to the convexity of the discount function this paper clarifies the relations between several concepts in intertemporal choice. This paper also introduces a concept of spread seeking. Spread seeking and decreasing relative impatience are likely to have distinct underlying psychological motives, but are shown to be equivalent under discounted utility.

Suggested Citation

  • Rohde, Kirsten I.M., 2009. "Decreasing relative impatience," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 831-839, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:30:y:2009:i:6:p:831-839
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    Cited by:

    1. Chiaki Hara, 2019. "Heterogeneous Impatience of Individual Consumers and Decreasing Impatience of the Representative Consumer," KIER Working Papers 1009, Kyoto University, Institute of Economic Research.
    2. Sokolov, Mikhail V., 2024. "NPV, IRR, PI, PP, and DPP: A unified view," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    3. Christopher P. Chambers & Federico Echenique & Alan D. Miller, 2023. "Decreasing Impatience," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(3), pages 527-551, August.
    4. Viviana Ventre & Salvador Cruz Rambaud & Roberta Martino & Fabrizio Maturo, 2023. "An analysis of intertemporal inconsistency through the hyperbolic factor," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 819-846, February.
    5. Ottaviani, Cristina & Vandone, Daniela, 2011. "Impulsivity and household indebtedness: Evidence from real life," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 754-761.
    6. Salvador Cruz Rambaud & Isabel González Fernández, 2019. "A measure of inconsistencies in intertemporal choice," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(10), pages 1-24, October.

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