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Dynamic Rational Inattention and the Phillips Curve

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  • Hassan Afrouzi
  • Choongryul Yang

Abstract

We develop a fast, tractable, and robust method for solving the transition path of dynamic rational inattention problems in linear-quadratic-Gaussian settings. As an application of our general framework, we develop an attention-driven theory of dynamic pricing in which the Phillips curve slope is endogenous to systematic aspects of monetary policy. In our model, when the monetary authority is more committed to stabilizing nominal variables, rationally inattentive firms pay less attention to changes in their input costs, which leads to a flatter Phillips curve and more anchored inflation expectations. This effect, however, is not symmetric. A more dovish monetary policy flattens the Phillips curve in the short-run but generates a steeper Phillips curve in the long-run. In a calibrated version of our general equilibrium model, we find that our mechanism quantifies a 75% decline in the slope of the Phillips curve in the post-Volcker period, relative to the period before it.

Suggested Citation

  • Hassan Afrouzi & Choongryul Yang, 2021. "Dynamic Rational Inattention and the Phillips Curve," CESifo Working Paper Series 8840, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_8840
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    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp8840.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hassan Afrouzi & Spencer Yongwook Kwon & Augustin Landier & Yueran Ma & David Thesmar, 2020. "Overreaction and Working Memory," NBER Working Papers 27947, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Hassan Afrouzi, 2024. "Strategic Inattention, Inflation Dynamics, and the Nonneutrality of Money," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 132(10), pages 3378-3420.
    3. George-Marios Angeletos & Zhen Huo, 2021. "Myopia and Anchoring," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(4), pages 1166-1200, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Isaac Baley & Laura Veldkamp, 2021. "Bayesian learning," Economics Working Papers 1797, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    2. Hobler, Stephan, 2022. "Multi-layered rational inattention and time-varying volatility," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    3. Michael D Bauer & Carolin E Pflueger & Adi Sunderam, 2024. "Perceptions About Monetary Policy," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 139(4), pages 2227-2278.
    4. Ángelo Gutiérrez-Daza, 2024. "Business Cycles when Consumers Learn by Shopping," Working Papers 2024-12, Banco de México.
    5. Link, Sebastian & Peichl, Andreas & Roth, Christopher & Wohlfart, Johannes, 2023. "Information frictions among firms and households," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 99-115.
    6. Botond Kőszegi & Filip Matějka, 2020. "Choice Simplification: A Theory of Mental Budgeting and Naive Diversification [“Fungibility, Labels, and Consumption,”]," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 135(2), pages 1153-1207.
    7. Greg Howard, 2024. "A Check for Rational Inattention," Journal of Political Economy Microeconomics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 2(1), pages 172-199.
    8. Bartosz Maćkowiak & Filip Matějka & Mirko Wiederholt, 2023. "Rational Inattention: A Review," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 61(1), pages 226-273, March.
    9. Kamdar, Rupal & Ray, Walker, 2024. "Attention-Driven Sentiment and the Business Cycle," CEPR Discussion Papers 18984, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    10. Drago Bergholt & Francesco Furlanetto & Etienne Vaccaro-Grange, 2023. "Did monetary policy kill the Phillips Curve? Some simple arithmetics," Working Paper 2023/2, Norges Bank.
    11. Oliver Pfauti, 2021. "Inflation -- who cares? Monetary Policy in Times of Low Attention," Papers 2105.05297, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2023.
    12. Bartosz Maćkowiak & Mirko Wiederholt, 2025. "Rational Inattention and the Business Cycle Effects of Productivity and News Shocks," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 17(1), pages 274-309, January.
    13. Ahn, Hie Joo & Xie, Shihan & Yang, Choongryul, 2024. "Effects of monetary policy on household expectations: The role of homeownership," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    14. Contreras, Alfredo, 2023. "Learning specialists and market resilience," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    15. Hunziker, Hans-Ueli & Raggi, Christian & Rosenblatt-Wisch, Rina & Zanetti, Attilio, 2022. "The impact of guidance, short-term dynamics and individual characteristics on firms’ long-term inflation expectations," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    16. Joshua Bernstein & Rupal Kamdar, 2023. "Rationally Inattentive Monetary Policy," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 48, pages 265-296, April.
    17. Yang, Choongryul, 2022. "Rational inattention, menu costs, and multi-product firms: Micro evidence and aggregate implications," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 105-123.
    18. Zhao Han & Xiaohan Ma & Ruoyun Mao, 2023. "The Role of Dispersed Information in Inflation and Inflation Expectations," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 48, pages 72-106, April.
    19. Michael Weber & Bernardo Candia & Hassan Afrouzi & Tiziano Ropele & Rodrigo Lluberas & Serafin Frache & Brent Meyer & Saten Kumar & Yuriy Gorodnichenko & Dimitris Georgarakos & Olivier Coibion & Geoff, 2025. "Tell Me Something I Don't Already Know: Learning in Low‐ and High‐Inflation Settings," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 93(1), pages 229-264, January.
    20. Meyer, Brent H. & Prescott, Brian C. & Sheng, Xuguang Simon, 2023. "The impact of supply chain disruptions on business expectations during the pandemic," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    21. Hassan Afrouzi & Joel P. Flynn & Choongryul Yang, 2024. "What Can Measured Beliefs Tell Us About Monetary Non-Neutrality?," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2024-053, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    22. Jamie Hentall-MacCuish, 2024. "Costly attention and retirement," IFS Working Papers W24/59, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    23. Zidong An & Salem Abo‐Zaid & Xuguang Simon Sheng, 2023. "Inattention and the impact of monetary policy," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(4), pages 623-643, June.
    24. McCloud, Nadine, 2024. "What has inflation targeting done for household consumption?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PC).
    25. Han, Zhao, 2024. "Asymmetric information and misaligned inflation expectations," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    rational inattention; dynamic information acquisition; Phillips curve;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • E03 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Behavioral Macroeconomics
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies

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