Factors affecting soldiers' time preference: A field study in Israel

Tal Shavit; Eyal Lahav; Uri Benzion

doi:10.1016/j.socec.2013.02.014

Factors affecting soldiers' time preference: A field study in Israel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The current field study examines how the day of the week, optimism level and other personal characteristics influences the time preference of soldiers. To do this, we compare the time discount of soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces at the beginning of the work week (Sunday in Israel) and just prior to the weekend (on Thursday afternoon in Israel). The soldiers were asked to answer questionnaires regarding their time preferences, and dispositional optimism. We found that the soldiers have a higher subjective discount rate on Thursday when they need money for weekend activities. In addition, we found that optimism, being a firstborn sibling, having parents with higher earnings, and time remaining until discharge are negatively related to subjective discount rate. Conversely, having a balanced bank account is positively related to subjective discount rate.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	75-84
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Socio-Economics
Volume	44
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2013.02.014
State	Published - 1 Jun 2013
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Birth order
Discount rates
Military
Optimism
Soldiers
Time preference

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Economics and Econometrics

Access to Document

10.1016/j.socec.2013.02.014

Cite this

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title = "Factors affecting soldiers' time preference: A field study in Israel",

abstract = "The current field study examines how the day of the week, optimism level and other personal characteristics influences the time preference of soldiers. To do this, we compare the time discount of soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces at the beginning of the work week (Sunday in Israel) and just prior to the weekend (on Thursday afternoon in Israel). The soldiers were asked to answer questionnaires regarding their time preferences, and dispositional optimism. We found that the soldiers have a higher subjective discount rate on Thursday when they need money for weekend activities. In addition, we found that optimism, being a firstborn sibling, having parents with higher earnings, and time remaining until discharge are negatively related to subjective discount rate. Conversely, having a balanced bank account is positively related to subjective discount rate.",

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author = "Tal Shavit and Eyal Lahav and Uri Benzion",

note = "Funding Information: We would like to thank the research authority at the School of Business Administration in the Academic College of Management Academic Studies (Israel) for the financial support.",

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AU - Shavit, Tal

AU - Lahav, Eyal

AU - Benzion, Uri

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N2 - The current field study examines how the day of the week, optimism level and other personal characteristics influences the time preference of soldiers. To do this, we compare the time discount of soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces at the beginning of the work week (Sunday in Israel) and just prior to the weekend (on Thursday afternoon in Israel). The soldiers were asked to answer questionnaires regarding their time preferences, and dispositional optimism. We found that the soldiers have a higher subjective discount rate on Thursday when they need money for weekend activities. In addition, we found that optimism, being a firstborn sibling, having parents with higher earnings, and time remaining until discharge are negatively related to subjective discount rate. Conversely, having a balanced bank account is positively related to subjective discount rate.

AB - The current field study examines how the day of the week, optimism level and other personal characteristics influences the time preference of soldiers. To do this, we compare the time discount of soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces at the beginning of the work week (Sunday in Israel) and just prior to the weekend (on Thursday afternoon in Israel). The soldiers were asked to answer questionnaires regarding their time preferences, and dispositional optimism. We found that the soldiers have a higher subjective discount rate on Thursday when they need money for weekend activities. In addition, we found that optimism, being a firstborn sibling, having parents with higher earnings, and time remaining until discharge are negatively related to subjective discount rate. Conversely, having a balanced bank account is positively related to subjective discount rate.

KW - Birth order

KW - Discount rates

KW - Military

KW - Optimism

KW - Soldiers

KW - Time preference

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DO - 10.1016/j.socec.2013.02.014

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JO - Journal of Socio-Economics

JF - Journal of Socio-Economics

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Factors affecting soldiers' time preference: A field study in Israel

Abstract

Keywords

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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