Covariates of private time preference: A pilot study among the Tsimane' Indians of the Bolivian rain forest

A pilot study with 257 adult (16+ years) Tsimane' Indians, a group of horti culturalists and foragers, in the Bolivian rain forest was done to test hyp otheses about the socioeconomic and demographic covariates of time preferen ce. Subjects were asked to make a choice between receiving one candy now or two candies at the end of an interview that lasted 1.5 to 2 h, Results of a multivariate probit regression suggest that education was associated with greater desire for immediate gratification and illness was associated with greater likelihood of willingness to wait. Age, sex, nutritional status, i ncome, and wealth played a weak role in willingness to delay gratification. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.