What Do You Think Would Make You Happier? What Do You Think You Would Choose?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Benjamin, Daniel J.; Heffetz, Ori; Kimball, Miles S.; Rees-Jones, Alex
• 署名单位: Cornell University; National Bureau of Economic Research; Cornell University; University of Michigan System; University of Michigan
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0002-8282
• DOI: 10.1257/aer.102.5.2083
• 发表日期: 2012
• 页码: 2083-2110
• 关键词: EXPERIENCE; DECISION; LIFE; inconsistency; explorations; happiness

摘要

Would people choose what they think would maximize their subjective well-being (SWB)? We present survey respondents with hypothetical scenarios and elicit both choice and predicted SWB rankings of two alternatives. While choice and predicted SWB rankings usually coincide in our data, we find systematic reversals. We identify factors-such as predicted sense of purpose, control over one's life, family happiness, and social status-that help explain hypothetical choice controlling for predicted SWB. We explore how our findings vary by SWB measure and by scenario. Our results have implications regarding the use of SWB survey questions as a proxy for utility. (JEL D03, I31)