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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Happiness And Time Preference: The Effect Of Positive Affect In A Random-Assignment Experiment, John Ifcher, Homa Zarghamee Dec 2011

Happiness And Time Preference: The Effect Of Positive Affect In A Random-Assignment Experiment, John Ifcher, Homa Zarghamee

Economics

We conduct a random-assignment experiment to investigate whether positive affect impacts time preference, where time preference denotes a preference for present over future utility. Our result indicates that, compared to neutral affect, mild positive affect significantly reduces time preference over money. This result is robust to various specification checks, and alternative interpretations of the result are considered. Our result has implications for the effect of happiness on time preference and the role of emotions in economic decision making, in general. Finally, we reconfirm the ubiquity of time preference and start to explore its determinants. (JEL D12, D83, I31)


A'S From Zzzz's? The Causal Effect Of School Start Time On The Academic Achievement Of Adolescents, Scott E. Carrell, Teny Maghakian, James E. West Jan 2011

A'S From Zzzz's? The Causal Effect Of School Start Time On The Academic Achievement Of Adolescents, Scott E. Carrell, Teny Maghakian, James E. West

Economics

Recent sleep research finds that many adolescents are sleep-deprived because of both early school start times and changing sleep patterns during the teen years. This study identifies the causal effect of school start time on academic achievement by using two policy changes in the daily schedule at the US Air Force Academy along with the randomized placement of freshman students to courses and instructors. Results show that starting the school day 50 minutes later has a significant positive effect on student achievement, which is roughly equivalent to raising teacher quality by one standard deviation. (JEL I23, J13)


The Happiness Of Single Mothers After Welfare Reform, John Ifcher Jan 2011

The Happiness Of Single Mothers After Welfare Reform, John Ifcher

Economics

U.S. welfare and tax policies targeting single mothers were transformed over a decade ago. What was the impact on single mothers' happiness? Using data from the General Social Survey, difference in difference estimators are calculated. The results appear to indicate that the package of welfare and tax policy changes increased happiness. The results are largely consistent across three comparison groups and robust to various specification checks. This research nicely complements the literature by examining the impact of the welfare and tax policy changes on a novel outcome measure, self-reported happiness.


Dim Delobsom, Michael Kevane Jan 2011

Dim Delobsom, Michael Kevane

Economics

Delobsom, Dim (1897-1940), Burkinan author, canton chief, and civil servant, was born in Sao village, about 60 kilometers northwest of Ouagadougou, in the Mossi region of the presentday country of Burkina Faso. His mother was Datoumi Yaare, from the village of Kaonghin; and his father, Gueta Wagdogo, was the son of Yiougo, the naba (Mossi chief) of Sao. Naba Yiougo supported Mogho Naba Wobgo (Boukary Koutu), the principal king of the four Mossi kingdoms, against a rebelling vassal, the naba ofLalle. In 1896, Mogho Naba Wobgo supported Gueta Wagdogo to attain the chieftaincy (whereupon he assumed the name "Naba Piiga") …