Re: Babynomics
On Sat, Jan 11, 2003 at 03:45:40PM -0800, Fred Foldvary wrote: --- fabio guillermo rojas [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: By that logic, animals are economic actors - animals seem to choose their actions. To some degree, to the degree that choice is involved, some animals are economic actors. However, most animals seem to be controlled by genetic programming (instince), so choice is not involved, but the genetic behavior does indeed adhere to economizing, otherwise the species would not survive. The fittest are also the economizing. when do humans start to engage in *sophisticated* economic behaviors not found in animals? For example, at what age are children able to understand the concept of interest? In terms of discounting the future, or what? At what age do children understand that exchange can make you better off? When they understand that theft will not. For some people, that's never!
RE: Babynomics
For what it is worth to those on the list who are not parents, here is my experience as a parent. Children understand the concept of property before the age of 9 months. Before the age of 12 months, they understand that certain behaviors bring about favorable or unfavorable reactions from parents, which is tantamount to a trade of behaviors between parent and child. (My theory of parenting holds that parents are likely to be happy with the life-long behavior of their child if at the pre-toddler stage the child wants to please the parents; and the pre-toddler is most likely to want to please the parents if the parents (especially the mother) have encouraged an exchange of favorable and unfavorable behaviors.) Also by age 12 months, children can understand exchange of goods; e.g., give up one toy in exchange for a more desired toy; the concept of exchange is more easily grasped by the child than are the words that describe the exchange; in other words, the concept of exchange is more easily communicated by demonstration than by words, as the child's verbal understanding lags behind. Hope this helps those on the list who are not parents. Walt Warnick -Original Message- From: fabio guillermo rojas [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2003 10:46 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Babynomics Question: At what can humans engage in economic behavior? Are there studies showing when children learn to trade ? Fabio Humans start to engage in economic behavior as soon as they are born. Trade is not a necessary characteristic of economic behavior. The issue is rather whether infants are consciously choosing their actions. It seems to me that the genetic basis for behavior is the same in an infant as in an adult. Fred Foldvary I think this is a vacuous answer. By that logic, animals are economic actors - animals seem to choose their actions. Perhaps, then, my original question was vague. The question I have is: when do humans start to engage in *sophisticated* economic behaviors not found in animals? For example, at what age are children able to understand the concept of interest? At what age do children understand that exchange can make you better off? Fabio
Re: Babynomics
Question: At what can humans engage in economic behavior? Are there studies showing when children learn to trade ? Fabio Humans start to engage in economic behavior as soon as they are born. Trade is not a necessary characteristic of economic behavior. The issue is rather whether infants are consciously choosing their actions. It seems to me that the genetic basis for behavior is the same in an infant as in an adult. Fred Foldvary I think this is a vacuous answer. By that logic, animals are economic actors - animals seem to choose their actions. Perhaps, then, my original question was vague. The question I have is: when do humans start to engage in *sophisticated* economic behaviors not found in animals? For example, at what age are children able to understand the concept of interest? At what age do children understand that exchange can make you better off? Fabio
Re: Babynomics
Animals are economic actors. as to: For example, at what age are children able to understand the concept of interest?- any baby knows that something is better now then tommorrow. At what age do children understand that exchange can make you better off?- if you read the popular media, it seems they never do. Jason -Included Message-- Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2003 09:45:59 -0600 (CST) From: fabio guillermo rojas [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Babynomics Question: At what can humans engage in economic behavior? Are there studies showing when children learn to trade ? Fabio Humans start to engage in economic behavior as soon as they are born. Trade is not a necessary characteristic of economic behavior. The issue is rather whether infants are consciously choosing their actions. It seems to me that the genetic basis for behavior is the same in an infant as in an adult. Fred Foldvary I think this is a vacuous answer. By that logic, animals are economic actors - animals seem to choose their actions. Perhaps, then, my original question was vague. The question I have is: when do humans start to engage in *sophisticated* economic behaviors not found in animals? For example, at what age are children able to understand the concept of interest? At what age do children understand that exchange can make you better off? Fabio -End of Included Message--
Re: Babynomics
Oh, come on!! Animals are economic actors only in the most general sense. Animals are economic actors. as to: For example, at what age are children able to understand the concept of interest?- any baby knows that something is better now then tommorrow. That's not the same as interest. Interest is the price one pays for having it now rather than later. When are people able to udnerstand that concept? At what age do children understand that exchange can make you better off?- if you read the popular media, it seems they never do. Jason Well, I was hoping for some better answers. Many somebody knew of psychological research showing when children are able to make tradeoffs and make other economic decisions. Fabio
Re: Babynomics
--- fabio guillermo rojas [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: By that logic, animals are economic actors - animals seem to choose their actions. To some degree, to the degree that choice is involved, some animals are economic actors. However, most animals seem to be controlled by genetic programming (instince), so choice is not involved, but the genetic behavior does indeed adhere to economizing, otherwise the species would not survive. The fittest are also the economizing. when do humans start to engage in *sophisticated* economic behaviors not found in animals? For example, at what age are children able to understand the concept of interest? In terms of discounting the future, or what? At what age do children understand that exchange can make you better off? When they understand that theft will not. Fred Foldvary = [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Babynomics
Fabio- You may profit from visiting the page of an old prof. of mine at Oregon, http://harbaugh.uoregon.edu/index.htm , specifically, his Nanoeconomics? Pedianomics? The Economic Behavior of Children Homepage, http://nanoeconomics.org/ . I'm not sure what help it will be, but it's the best I can do. Best regards, jsh __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
Re: Babynomics
This is a great page! It's exactly what I was lookign for. Fabio On Sat, 11 Jan 2003, john hull wrote: Fabio- You may profit from visiting the page of an old prof. of mine at Oregon, http://harbaugh.uoregon.edu/index.htm , specifically, his Nanoeconomics? Pedianomics? The Economic Behavior of Children Homepage, http://nanoeconomics.org/ . I'm not sure what help it will be, but it's the best I can do. Best regards, jsh __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
Re: Babynomics
Question: At what can humans engage in economic behavior? Are there studies showing when children learn to trade ? Fabio Humans start to engage in economic behavior as soon as they are born. Trade is not a necessary characteristic of economic behavior. The issue is rather whether infants are consciously choosing their actions. It seems to me that the genetic basis for behavior is the same in an infant as in an adult. Fred Foldvary = [EMAIL PROTECTED]
