关键词: 相对收入 , 炫耀性消费 , 收入不平等

Abstract: This paper examined the degree to which individuals are concerned with relative income and relative consumption, and tested whether such concerns were affected by the inequality level in the society Based on a survey conducted among Chinese residents, this paper measured the degree of relative concern for income and consumption goods This paper concluded that individuals always cared about both relative position and absolute position, but the degree of relative concern was different for positional goods (such as car and housing) and nonpositional goods (such as insurance and vacation) The range of most individuals relative concern was not very wide Education and occupation affected the relative income and absolute income The degree of relative concern was mostly not affected by income inequality level in the society except for housing The findings had important implications for the micro and macro studies on consumptions.

Key words: relative income , positional consumption , income inequality