Time (in)consistent food choice of children and teenagers


Bucher-Koenen, Tabea ; Schmidt, Carsten



URL: http://mea.mpisoc.mpg.de/uploads/user_mea_discussi...
Document Type: Working paper
Year of publication: 2011
The title of a journal, publication series: MEA Discussion Papers
Volume: 251-2011
Place of publication: Mannheim
Publication language: English
Institution: Außerfakultäre Einrichtungen > VWL insb Makroök u Wirtschaftspol (Börsch-Supan 1989-2011)
MADOC publication series: Veröffentlichungen des MEA (Mannheim Research Institute For the Economics of Aging) > MEA Discussion Papers
Subject: 300 Social sciences, sociology, anthropology
330 Economics
Abstract: We document an increasing capacity to resist temptation in a time consistent manner from children to teenagers. Competencies develop in two steps: From age 8 on many pupils naively plan and after age 12 successfully implement strategies to resist temptation. Our evidence comes from a food choice experiment that we conducted with comparable participant pools of elementary and high school pupils in 5 different school years. We offer tangible choices in terms of apples and chocolate. On the first day pupils state their preference regarding tomorrows consumption and on the second day they pick one food item for immediate consumption. We find that most of the 6 to 7 year olds consistently choose chocolate for future and immediate consumption. With pupils age 8 to 12 we observe an increase of time inconsistent behavior - pupils naively planning to consume an apple tomorrow and then choosing chocolate for immediate consumption. From age 14 on a larger share of pupils is sophisticated in the sense that they plan to and actually do consume an apple.




Dieser Eintrag ist Teil der Universitätsbibliographie.




Metadata export


Citation


+ Search Authors in

+ Page Views

Hits per month over past year

Detailed information



You have found an error? Please let us know about your desired correction here: E-Mail


Actions (login required)

Show item Show item