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The Relationship between Unemployment and Risk-Aversion

Author

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  • Diaz-Serrano, Luis

    (Universitat Rovira i Virgili)

  • O'Neill, Donal

    (National University of Ireland, Maynooth)

Abstract

In this paper we use a direct measure of individual risk-aversion to examine the relationship between risk-aversion and unemployment. The traditional search model predicts that more risk-averse individuals have lower reservation wages and thus are less likely to be observed in unemployment. Our findings, however, do not support this prediction: on the contrary our data suggest that more risk-averse individuals are more likely to be unemployed.

Suggested Citation

  • Diaz-Serrano, Luis & O'Neill, Donal, 2004. "The Relationship between Unemployment and Risk-Aversion," IZA Discussion Papers 1214, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1214
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Luigi Guiso & Monica Paiella, 2008. "Risk Aversion, Wealth, and Background Risk," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 6(6), pages 1109-1150, December.
    2. Joop Hartog & Ada Ferrer‐i‐Carbonell & Nicole Jonker, 2002. "Linking Measured Risk Aversion to Individual Characteristics," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(1), pages 3-26.
    3. Feinberg, Robert M, 1977. "Risk Aversion, Risk, and the Duration of Unemployment," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 59(3), pages 264-271, August.
    4. Nachman, David C., 1979. "On the theory of risk aversion and the theory of risk," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 317-335, October.
    5. Guiso, Luigi & Jappelli, Tullio & Pistaferri, Luigi, 2002. "An Empirical Analysis of Earnings and Employment Risk," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 20(2), pages 241-253, April.
    6. Wagner, Joachim, 2002. "The Impact of Risk Aversion, Role Models, and the Regional Milieu on the Transition from Unemployment to Self-Employment: Empirical Evidence for Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 468, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Lippman, Steven A & McCall, John J, 1976. "The Economics of Job Search: A Survey," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 14(3), pages 347-368, September.
    8. Nachman, David C., 1975. "Risk aversion, impatience, and optimal timing decisions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 196-246, October.
    9. Shaw, Kathryn L, 1996. "An Empirical Analysis of Risk Aversion and Income Growth," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(4), pages 626-653, October.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Thomas Dohmen & Armin Falk & David Huffman & Uwe Sunde & Jürgen Schupp & Gert G. Wagner, 2005. "Individual Risk Attitudes: New Evidence from a Large, Representative, Experimentally-Validated Survey," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 511, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    3. Thomas Dohmen & Armin Falk & David Huffman & Uwe Sunde, 2012. "The Intergenerational Transmission of Risk and Trust Attitudes," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 79(2), pages 645-677.
    4. Decker, Simon & Schmitz, Hendrik, 2016. "Health shocks and risk aversion," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 156-170.
    5. Caliendo, Marco & Künn, Steffen & Weißenberger, Martin, 2016. "Personality traits and the evaluation of start-up subsidies," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 87-108.
    6. Song, In Jung & Park, Heejung & Park, Narang & Heo, Wookjae, 2019. "The effect of experiencing a death on life insurance ownership," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 170-176.
    7. Stefano Iezzi, 2008. "Investors' risk attitude and risky behavior: a Bayesian approach with imperfect information," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 692, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    8. Ondřej Dvouletý & Martin Lukeš & Mihaela Vancea, 2020. "Individual-level and family background determinants of young adults’ unemployment in Europe," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 47(2), pages 389-409, May.
    9. Ding, Xiaohao & Hartog, Joop & Sun, Yuze, 2010. "Can We Measure Individual Risk Attitudes in a Survey?," IZA Discussion Papers 4807, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Ignacio Amate-Fortes & Almudena Guarnido-Rueda & Diego Martínez-Navarro & Francisco J. Oliver-Márquez, 2021. "Measuring inequality in income distribution between men and women: what causes gender inequality in Europe?," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 395-418, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    unemployment; job-search; risk-aversion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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