[position in research by date]
[position in research by subject]
"A Theory of Extramarital Affairs,"
Journal of Political Economy, February 1978, 45-61.
pdf file (805KB),
data used in the paper.
Abstract
In this paper a model is developed that explains the allocation of an
individual's time among work and two types of leisure activities: time
spent with spouse, and time spent with paramour. Data from two recent
magazine surveys are available that can be used to test the predictions of
the model regarding the determinants of time spent with paramour.
The results of estimating the equation explaining time spent with
paramour, by the Tobit estimator, are generally supportive of the model,
although more evidence is needed before any definitive conclusions can be
drawn. The model can also be applied to the allocation of time among
other types of leisure activities.
Comments
This paper uses survey data from Psychology Today and
Redbook to examine the determinants of time spent in
extramartial affairs. On request I have sent the data to a number of people
since the paper was published. The data can be obtained from the
above file.
This paper uses the Tobit estimator in the empirical work, and
in the process of doing the empirical work I developed an alternative
way of computing Tobit estimates from Newton's method.
This work is discussed in 1977#1.