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Estimating a Parsimonious Model of Inequality Aversion in Stackelberg Duopoly Experiments

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  • Sau‐Him Paul Lau
  • Felix Leung

Abstract

In the Stackelberg duopoly experiments in Huck et al. (2001), nearly half of the followers’ behaviours are inconsistent with conventional prediction. We use a test in which the conventional self‐interested model is nested as a special case of an inequality aversion model. Maximum likelihood methods applied to the Huck et al. (2001) data set reject the self‐interested model. We find that almost 40% of the players have disadvantageous inequality aversion that is statistically different from zero and economically significant, but advantageous inequality aversion is relatively unimportant. These estimates provide support for a more parsimonious model with no advantageous inequality aversion.

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  • Sau‐Him Paul Lau & Felix Leung, 2010. "Estimating a Parsimonious Model of Inequality Aversion in Stackelberg Duopoly Experiments," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 72(5), pages 669-686, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:obuest:v:72:y:2010:i:5:p:669-686
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0084.2010.00592.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cardella, Eric & Chiu, Ray, 2012. "Stackelberg in the lab: The effect of group decision making and “Cooling-off” periods," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 1070-1083.
    2. Hinloopen, Jeroen & Müller, Wieland & Normann, Hans-Theo, 2014. "Output commitment through product bundling: Experimental evidence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 164-180.
    3. Yan, Bo & Ahmadi, Atefeh & Mehrabbeik, Mahtab & Rajagopal, Karthikeyan & He, Shaobo & Jafari, Sajad, 2022. "Expanding the duopoly Stackelberg game with marginal costs into a multipoly game with lowering the burden of mathematical calculations: a numerical analysis," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    4. Müller, Wieland & Tan, Fangfang, 2013. "Who acts more like a game theorist? Group and individual play in a sequential market game and the effect of the time horizon," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 658-674.
    5. Hinloopen, Jeroen & Müller, Wieland & Normann, Hans-Theo, 2014. "Output commitment through product bundling: Experimental evidence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 164-180.

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