Intergenerational transmission of time preferences and saving attitude: the role of information sharing

This paper investigates the intergenerational transmission of preferences between parents and their children, examining the transmission of patience and saving attitude. We explore the role of a specific parental behavior, such as sharing financial information, in this transmission process. Using data from a representative survey of Italian households (parents with children 14–20 years of age) our empirical analysis reveals a significant and positive correspondence between parents’ and children’s preferences. The results indicate that sharing information strengthens the intergenerational transmission of patience between parents and children, particularly among children under 18, households with a socioeconomic status (SES) above the median, and daughters. Conversely, parents’ sharing information does not impact significantly on the transmission of the saving attitude.