infonet-economy

We present results from the first large-scale international survey on time discounting, conducted in 45 countries. Cross-country varia- tion cannot simply be explained by economic variables such as interest rates or inflation. In particular, we find strong evidence for cultural differences, as measured by the Hofstede cultural dimensions. For ex- ample, high levels of Uncertainty Avoidance or Individualism are both associated with strong hyperbolic discounting. Moreover, as applica- tion of our data, we find evidence for an impact of time preferences on the capability of technological innovations in a country and on environmental protection.