Reinforcement Learning and Savings Behavior
| Title: | Reinforcement Learning and Savings Behavior |
| Author: |
Laibson, David I.; Choi, James J.; Madrian, Brigitte; Metrick, Andrew
Note: Order does not necessarily reflect citation order of authors. |
| Citation: | Choi, James J., David Laibson, Brigitte C. Madrian, and Andrew Metrick. 2009. Reinforcement learning and savings behavior. The Journal of Finance 64(6): 2515-2534. |
| Full Text & Related Files: |
Laibson_ReinforcementLearning.pdf (333.2Kb; PDF) 
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| Abstract: | We show that individual investors over-extrapolate from their personal experience when making savings decisions. Investors who experience particularly rewarding outcomes from saving in their 401(k)—a high average and/or low variance return—increase their 401(k) savings rate more than investors who have less rewarding experiences with saving. This finding is not driven by aggregate time-series shocks, income effects, rational learning about investing skill, investor fixed effects, or time-varying investor-level heterogeneity that is correlated with portfolio allocations to stock, bond, and cash asset classes. We discuss implications for the equity premium puzzle and interventions aimed at improving household financial outcomes. |
| Published Version: | doi:10.1111/j.1540-6261.2009.01509.x |
| Other Sources: |
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID1014655_code917445.pdf?abstractid=1014655&mirid=1
http://www.som.yale.edu/faculty/jjc83/reinforcement.pdf |
| Terms of Use: | This article is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Open Access Policy Articles, as set forth at http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of-use#OAP |
| Citable link to this page: | http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:4686777 |
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