کد مقاله | کد نشریه | سال انتشار | مقاله انگلیسی | نسخه تمام متن |
---|---|---|---|---|
885100 | 912659 | 2012 | 8 صفحه PDF | دانلود رایگان |

This paper examines the implications of “keeping up with the Joneses” preferences (jealousy) for the welfare effects of monetary policy. I develop a New Keynesian model, where households are jealous and the central bank follows the Taylor rule. I show that the welfare effects of monetary policy over time depend significantly on the relative strength of the consumption externality caused by jealousy and the monopolistic distortion. When a first-order approximation of the utility function is used, then the main result is the following: If jealousy (the monopolistic distortion) dominates, then a decrease in the interest rate reduces (increases) welfare in the short run, but increases (reduces) welfare in the medium run. However, the use of a second-order approximation changes the sign of the overall welfare effect of monetary policy if the initial level of employment is at the optimal level or just below it.
► This paper introduces keeping up with the Joneses preferences into a monetary policy model.
► The welfare effects of monetary policy depend on jealousy and the monopolistic distortion.
► If jealousy dominates, monetary expansion reduces welfare in the short run.
► If jealousy dominates, monetary expansion increases welfare in the medium run.
► If the monopolistic distortion dominates, the welfare effects are reversed.
Journal: Journal of Economic Psychology - Volume 33, Issue 1, February 2012, Pages 104–111