Zugl.: Graz, Univ., Diss., 2008 / Hergestellt on demand

Zugl.: Bochum, Univ., Diss., 2008

An intertemporal decision model is presented in which subjects save less for retirement than the permanent income hypothesis predicts, signaling optimistic income prospects (and therefore high latent productivity) to possible partners in productive exchanges. Competitive conspicuous consumption (CCC), as it is called, is a self-defeating strategy, if followed by subjects simultaneously. Egalitarian policies (which have to be distinguished from pure welfare policies) tend to lower excess consumption. The CCC-hypothesis justifies a cross-sectional Keynesian consumption function with declining marginal propensities to consume. It is argued that the cultural context is highly relevant to the scope and importance of CCC. (author's abstract) / Series: Working Papers Series "Growth and Employment in Europe: Sustainability and Competitiveness"

Die Arbeit basiert auf fünf Aufsätzen. In diesen wird über vier Experimentserien berichtet, die das individuelle Entscheidungsverhalten von Versuchspersonen in ähnlichen, aber verschieden komplexen Situationen erheben. Es wird ein experimentelles Szenario vorgestellt, mit dessen Hilfe Rückschlüsse auf das Sparverhalten gezogen werden können. Es werden stilisierte Fakten des Verhaltens realer Entscheider identifiziert, die sich in solchen Situationen wesentlich vom rationalen Verhalten des "homo oeconomicus" unterscheiden. Eine der Experimentserien wurde im Internet durchgeführt, wobei zusätzlich generelle Aspekte von Internetexperimenten untersucht werden. / This thesis is based on five studies. These studies report on the individual behavior of experimental subjects in four experiments. The experimental situations are similar, but differ in their complexity. With the introduced experimental setup, one can draw conclusions about savings behavior. Stylized facts about the behavior of real decision makers are identified, which differ in such situations substantially from the rational behavior of the "homo oeconomicus". One of the experiments was conducted via the Internet. In this part also general aspects of Internet experiments are investigated.