Would a Basic Income Guarantee Reduce the Motivation to Work? An Analysis of Labor Responses in 16 Trial Programs
Abstract
Many opponents of BIG programs believe that receiving guaranteed subsistence income would act as a strong disincentive to work. In contrast, various areas of empirical research in psychology (studies of intrinsic motivation; non-pecuniary benefits of work on social identity and purpose; and reactions to financial windfalls such as lottery winnings) suggest that a BIG would not lead to meaningful reductions in work. To test these competing predictions, a comprehensive review of BIG outcome studies reporting data on adult labor responses was conducted. The results indicate that 93 % of reported outcomes support the prediction of no meaningful work reductions when the criterion for support is set at less than a 5 % decrease in either average hours worked per week or the rate of labor participation. Overall, these results indicate that adult labor responses would show no substantial impact following a BIG intervention.
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Research Articles
- Would a Basic Income Guarantee Reduce the Motivation to Work? An Analysis of Labor Responses in 16 Trial Programs
- Modelling the Time Allocation Effects of Basic Income
- Framing the Basic Income: An Experimental Study of How Arguments and Metaphors Influence Individuals’ Opinion Formation
- Artificial Intelligence, Jobs and the Future of Work: Racing with the Machines
- Caring Revolutionary Transformation: Combined Effects of a Universal Basic Income and a Public Model of Care
- Book Reviews
- Wellbeing in the New Era of Postgrowth. A Review of Milena Büchs & Max Koch: Postgrowth and Wellbeing. Challenges to Sustainable Welfare
- It’s Basic Income: The Global Debate, eds. Amy Downes and Stewart Lansley, Policy Press
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Research Articles
- Would a Basic Income Guarantee Reduce the Motivation to Work? An Analysis of Labor Responses in 16 Trial Programs
- Modelling the Time Allocation Effects of Basic Income
- Framing the Basic Income: An Experimental Study of How Arguments and Metaphors Influence Individuals’ Opinion Formation
- Artificial Intelligence, Jobs and the Future of Work: Racing with the Machines
- Caring Revolutionary Transformation: Combined Effects of a Universal Basic Income and a Public Model of Care
- Book Reviews
- Wellbeing in the New Era of Postgrowth. A Review of Milena Büchs & Max Koch: Postgrowth and Wellbeing. Challenges to Sustainable Welfare
- It’s Basic Income: The Global Debate, eds. Amy Downes and Stewart Lansley, Policy Press