Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Seminar: Strip Club Economics

Taggert J. Brooks (Economics) will present “In Da Club: An Econometric Analysis of Strip Club Patrons” Friday May 1st at 3:30 in CWH 230. The talk will cover the paper specifically and the adult entertainment industry more generally.

Abstract:

Experimental researchers find choice inconsistency among males after exposure to sexual cues. Men alter their rate of time preference or their willingness to accept unfair offers in the ultimatum game, after the mere viewing of pictures of attractive or “sexy” women (Wilson and Daly, 2004; Van Den Bergh and Dewitte, 2006). In this paper I try to identify the characteristics of individuals who expose themselves to similar treatments outside the lab. I do this by focusing on individuals who attend clubs that feature nude or semi-nude dancers.

Conservative estimates from the National Health and Social Life Survey (NHSLS) suggest 17 million Americans went to a club that featured nude or semi-nude dancers in 1991. I estimate a demographic logit model using the NHSLS which is the first and only national probability based sample which asks people if they have attended a strip club and their frequency of attendance. The results suggest the types of men who expose themselves to such venues are also more likely to alter their choices in the face of sexual cues.

No comments: