An empirical research on the factors affecting the formation of preferences

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26870700
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Economic theory; Public finance/Public economy
• Research Institution: Kyoto Sangyo University
• Principal Investigator: HANAOKA Chie 京都産業大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (30536032)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 選好 / 選好形成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Preferences are fundamental determinants of individual decision-making on behaviors. This research empirically examines the factors that affect the formation of preferences. I investigate three questions: First, do macroeconomic shocks experienced in early life affect preferences? Second, how do activities at home and school in early life affect the formation of preferences? Third, can the experience of negative shocks such as natural disasters affect preferences? To address these research questions, I use self-reported measures of preferences from a nationally representative survey in Japan. The results suggest that large economic shocks and activities at home and school experienced during one’s youth affect the formation of preferences. In addition, the experience of natural disasters affects preferences. Interestingly, only for men, one’s experience affects the formation of preferences and this finding is robust for all the three questions.

Free Research Field

医療経済学