Does Watching TV Make Us Happy?
Journal
Journal of Economic Psychology
ISSN
0167-4870
ISSN-Digital
1872-7719
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2007-06-01
Author(s)
Abstract
Watching TV is a major human activity. Because of its immediate benefits at negligible immediate marginal costs it is for many people tempting to view TV rather than to pursue more engaging activities. As a consequence, individuals with incomplete control over, and foresight into, their own behavior watch more TV than they consider optimal for themselves and their well-being is lower than what could be achieved. We find that heavy TV viewers, and in particular those with significant opportunity cost of time, report lower life satisfaction. Long TV hours are also linked to higher material aspirations and anxiety
Language
English
Keywords
Life satisfaction
Mispredicting utility
Revealed behavior
Self-control problem
TV consumption
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SEPS - Economic Policy
Refereed
No
Publisher
Elsevier
Publisher place
Amsterdam
Volume
28
Number
3
Start page
283
End page
313
Pages
31
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
129527