Thorstein Veblen’s “Hidden Utility”

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2014

Author

Kurşuncu, Aslı

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Economic studies and empirical experiments based on psychological and sociological facts have promoted new approaches particularly in the last 20 years. Although developments and studies on human behavior are high on the rise, systems that can specifically explain human behavior have not been fully developed yet. In this manner, the main aim of this thesis is to define and analyze the secondary utility presented by Veblen in The Theory of Leisure Class (1899) and take it as the genesis of a new type of utility: “hidden utility”. Thesis will lean on the relationship between the secondary utility and the heuristics and psychological mechanisms that are used for maximizing the “hidden utility”. The “Hidden utility” will combine Veblen’s concepts, pecuniary emulation and conspicuous consumption with heuristics and psychological mechanisms utilized for decision making .

Subject Keywords

Economics, Economics, Leisure class., Consumer behavior., Decision making.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12617040/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/23462

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis

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Citation Formats

A. Kurşuncu, “Thorstein Veblen’s “Hidden Utility”,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2014.