Time Use During the Great Recession

Mark Aguiar; Erik Hurst; Loukas Karabarbounis

doi:10.1257/aer.103.5.1664

American Economic Review Vol. 103 No. 5 2013

Time Use During the Great Recession

Mark Aguiar¹; Erik Hurst²; Loukas Karabarbounis²

¹ Princeton University, 110 Fisher Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544, and NBER. · ² University of Chicago Booth, 5807 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, and NBER.

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Abstract

Using data from the American Time Use Survey between 2003 and 2010, we document that home production absorbs roughly 30 percent of foregone market work hours at business cycle frequencies. Leisure absorbs roughly 50 percent of foregone market work hours, with sleeping and television watching accounting for most of this increase. We document significant increases in time spent on shopping, child care, education, and health. Job search absorbs between 2 and 6 percent of foregone market work hours. We discuss the implications of our results for business cycle models with home production and non-separable preferences.

DOI: 10.1257/aer.103.5.1664
Volume: 103
Issue: 5
Pages: 1664-1696
Language: en
Sources: bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

Time Use During the Great Recession

Abstract

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