In a large-scale replication & extension of Hsee et al. 2013, we cannot confirm the original paper’s findings, that mindless accumulation is a quantitatively relevant driver of overearning behavior

Overearning – Revisited. Nadine Riedel, Robert Stüber. Journal of Economic Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2018.12.009

Highlights
•    Replicate the study of Hsee, Zhang, Cai, and Zhang (2013) in a large sample of German students
•    Reject that mindless accumulation is a quantitatively relevant driver of overearning
•    Analyze the effect of task enjoyment, uncertainty and social comparison on overearning
•    Test for overearning in a dynamic setting
•    Revisit the effect of earnings caps on happiness

Abstract: In a 2013 Psychological Science article, Hsee et. al designed a controlled laboratory experiment to assess whether individuals overearn, i.e., forgo leisure to work and earn beyond their consumption needs. The authors reported evidence in line with people overearning, even at the cost of happiness, and in line with mindless accumulation being the driver of this finding. In a large-scale replication and extension of Hsee et al. (2013), we cannot confirm the original paper’s findings: Our results reject that mindless accumulation is a quantitatively relevant driver of overearning behavior. In direct replications of Hsee et al. (2013), overearning turns out to be a moderate phenomenon. Extensions to the original paper, however, suggest that task enjoyment and uncertainty about future utility of consumption may establish overearning.