The selfish life-cycle model or hypothesis is, together with the dynasty or altruism model, the most widely used theoretical model of household behavior in economics, but does this model apply in the case of a country like Japan, which is said to have closer family ties than other countries? In...

Classified broadly, two motives for intra-family transfers exist: altruism and selfishness. This paper examines two selfish hypotheses − the exchange motive (strategic bequest motive)and the demonstration effect − using a new Japanese micro data set. My analysis of the determinants of...

Classified broadly, two motives for intra-family transfers exist: altruism and selfishness. This paper examines two selfish hypotheses - the exchange motive (strategic bequest motive) and them demonstration effect - using a new Japanese micro data set. My analysis of the determinants of...