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Demographics and Behaviour

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2025

Enrica Carbone
Enrica Carbone*
Affiliation:
Università di Bari, Facoltá di Economia, Via Camillo Rosalba, 53, 70124 Bari, Italy
*
email: e.carbone@dse.uniba.it
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Abstract

Using a unique experimental subject pool, I analyse the behaviour of subjects in a life-cycle consumption experimental task. As in previous experiments, it is clear that different subjects solve the task differently - some having strategies close to the fully optimal and others using simple heuristics. The nature of my subject pool enables me to see if there is any link between the strategies employed by the subjects and their demographic characteristics. I also explore whether the parameters in the task influence the chosen strategy. I find little systematic demographic influence. The results of the paper have an important message concerning the representativeness of typical subject pools used in economics experiments.

Keywords

life-cycle consumptionsavingdemographicsstrategiesintertemporal choice

JEL classification

C91: Laboratory, Individual Behavior D91: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making‡
Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Economics , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , September 2005 , pp. 217 - 232
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 Economic Science Association

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References

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