Daniel Wilmoth |
Ph.D. Student
PAM-based student in the field of Economics |
| 122 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall |
| PAM |
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| Email: drw42@cornell.edu |
| View Cornell Contact Info |
Biographical Statement:
I am a Ph. D. candidate in economics at Cornell University. I expect to receive my degree in the summer of 2010 and am currently on the job market. I will be available for interviews at the ASSA meetings in Atlanta from January 2-5, 2010. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or requests.
My committee members are Donald Kenkel (chair), Ted O'Donoghue and Sean Nicholson. |
Current Research Activities:
My research occurs at the intersection of economics, psychology and public health. In order to design policies that will improve welfare, it is helpful to understand how people make decisions. In my research, I use tools from economics and concepts from psychology to analyze choices with important health implications.
Job Market Paper:
Alcohol, Intelligence and Self-Control
Abstract
Past studies of the relationship between intelligence and heavy alcohol consumption have produced mixed results. Evidence from the psychology literature suggests that intelligence is related to success at self-control and it is argued here that this relationship may explain the mixed results previously reported. Restricting the consumption of addictive substances like alcohol requires self-control. As people age, they become less likely to consume large amounts of alcohol. If intelligence is related to success at self-control and if the probability of deliberately choosing to consume large amounts of alcohol changes with age then the relationship between intelligence and heavy alcohol consumption could change with age as well. Using data from a national survey, it is shown that the relationship between intelligence and heavy alcohol consumption is positive at younger ages but becomes negative over time. Evidence is presented that this change is not a result of growing differences by intelligence in information. It is also shown that intelligence has a strong negative relationship with the probability of failing in an attempt to restrict alcohol consumption. Together, these results support the hypothesis that intelligence is related to heavy alcohol consumption through self-control and that this relationship contributes to the mixed results previously reported. Policy implications are discussed. |
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The information on this bio page is taken from the CHE Annual Report. |
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