Reference-dependent effects of unemployment on mental well-being
- Several contributions to the literature have shown that the perception of the individual employment status depends on the surrounding unemployment rate. We argue that expectations are a possible link between unemployment rates and the individual employment status regarding changes in mental well-being. Theoretical foundation comes from models for reference-dependent preferences with endogenous reference points. We provide a simple theoretical model to motivate and structure the empirical analysis. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we estimate a pairwise interacted model for employment status and expectations over two time periods. Life satisfaction is used as a proxy for mental well-being. To identify a causal effect of unemployment, expectations and their interactions on mental well-being, the analysis relies on fixed effects and exogenous entries into unemployment due to plant closures. We confirm the standard result that unemployment has a negative effect on mentalSeveral contributions to the literature have shown that the perception of the individual employment status depends on the surrounding unemployment rate. We argue that expectations are a possible link between unemployment rates and the individual employment status regarding changes in mental well-being. Theoretical foundation comes from models for reference-dependent preferences with endogenous reference points. We provide a simple theoretical model to motivate and structure the empirical analysis. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we estimate a pairwise interacted model for employment status and expectations over two time periods. Life satisfaction is used as a proxy for mental well-being. To identify a causal effect of unemployment, expectations and their interactions on mental well-being, the analysis relies on fixed effects and exogenous entries into unemployment due to plant closures. We confirm the standard result that unemployment has a negative effect on mental well-being. Furthermore, the results deliver empirical evidence for reference-dependent effects of unemployment on mental well-being. We find that becoming unemployed unexpectedly is more severe as if the unemployment was expected. Therefore, this paper contributes to the understanding of how mental well-being is affected by unemployment and delivers empirical support for the theoretical models of reference-dependent preference wit endogenous reference points determined by expectations.…
Author: | Martina GrunowORCiD |
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URN: | urn:nbn:de:bvb:384-opus4-710942 |
Frontdoor URL | https://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/71094 |
Series (Serial Number): | Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsreihe (323) |
Publisher: | Volkswirtschaftliches Institut, Universität Augsburg |
Place of publication: | Augsburg |
Type: | Working Paper |
Language: | English |
Year of first Publication: | 2014 |
Publishing Institution: | Universität Augsburg |
Release Date: | 2020/02/21 |
Tag: | JEL: C23, D03, D84, I10, I18, J01, J60 |
Pagenumber: | 50 |
Institutes: | Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät |
Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre | |
Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre / Lehrstuhl für Finanzwissenschaft, insbesondere Gesundheitsökonomik | |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | 3 Sozialwissenschaften / 33 Wirtschaft / 330 Wirtschaft |
Journals: | Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsreihe |
Licence (German): | Deutsches Urheberrecht |