Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/123360 
Year of Publication: 
2006
Series/Report no.: 
WWZ Discussion Paper No. 06/03
Publisher: 
University of Basel, Center of Business and Economics (WWZ), Basel
Abstract: 
In many countries, TV viewers have access to more and more TV channels. We study whether people can cope with this and watch the amount of TV they find optimal for themselves or whether they are prone to over-consumption. We find that heavy TV viewers do not benefit, but instead report lower life satisfaction when exposed to more TV channels. This finding runs counter to the standard economic prediction that a larger choice set does not make people worse off. It suggests that an identifiable group of persons experience a self-control problem when it comes to TV viewing.
Subjects: 
Self-control
over-consumption
life satisfaction
experienced utility
TV viewing
JEL: 
D12
D91
I31
J22
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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