Keep up with the winners: Experimental evidence on risk taking, asset integration, and peer effects

B-Tier
Journal: European Economic Review
Year: 2015
Volume: 79
Issue: C
Pages: 59-79

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

The paper reports the result of an experimental game on asset integration and risk taking. We find some evidence that winnings in earlier rounds affect risk taking in subsequent rounds, but no evidence that real life wealth outside the experiment affects risk taking. Controlling for past winnings, participants receiving a low endowment in a round engage in more risk taking. We test a ‘keeping-up-with-the-Joneses’ hypothesis and find that subjects seek to keep up with winners, though not necessarily with average earnings. Overall, the evidence suggests that risk taking tracks a reference point affected by social comparisons.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:eecrev:v:79:y:2015:i:c:p:59-79
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25