Working Paper: NBER ID: w27572
Authors: Susan Athey; Billy A. Ferguson; Matthew Gentzkow; Tobias Schmidt
Abstract: We estimate a measure of segregation, experienced isolation, that captures individuals’ exposure to diverse others in the places they visit over the course of their days. Using Global Positioning System (GPS) data collected from smartphones, we measure experienced isolation by race. We find that the isolation individuals experience is substantially lower than standard residential isolation measures would suggest, but that experienced and residential isolation are highly correlated across cities. Experienced isolation is lower relative to residential isolation in denser, wealthier, more educated cities with high levels of public transit use, and is also negatively correlated with income mobility.
Keywords: Segregation; Isolation; GPS Data; Urban Economics
JEL Codes: J15; R0
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| urban density (R11) | experienced isolation (P33) |
| public transit use (L91) | experienced isolation (P33) |
| income mobility (J62) | experienced isolation (P33) |
| experienced isolation (P33) | residential isolation (R28) |
| education (I29) | experienced isolation (P33) |