Modernisation and Time Preferences in Tanzania: Evidence from a Large-Scale Elicitation Exercise

Ben D'Exelle*, Bjorn van Campenhout, Els Lecoutere

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Assumptions about individual time preferences are important for explanations of poverty and development. Data from a large-scale elicitation exercise in Tanzania show significantly higher levels of impatience in urban areas than in rural areas. This result remains robust to adding controls for socio-economic differences between rural and urban areas, which possibly correlate with time preferences. We attribute this to differences in 'modernisation' between urban and rural areas, with modernisation leading to increased impatience. This is corroborated by the observed positive correlation between impatience and education; the latter being an important vehicle of modernisation for traditional societies in Tanzania.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)564-580
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Development Studies
Volume48
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2012
Externally publishedYes

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