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Limited Attention as the Bound on Rationality

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  • Gifford Sharon

    (Rutgers University)

Abstract

A utility maximizing model of allocating limited attention between adopting new behaviors and adapting current behaviors generates an optimal policy that resembles commonly observed, and apparently irrational, behavioral rules. The ability to update current behaviors implies an endogenous opportunity cost of adopting a new behavior. If this cost is sufficiently high, then behaviors are less than substantively rational. However, if this high cost of attention is ignored, then behaviors are less rational than if this cost is considered. This is because more rational behaviors are updated less frequently and so economize on attention in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Gifford Sharon, 2005. "Limited Attention as the Bound on Rationality," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 5(1), pages 1-42, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejtec:v:contributions.5:y:2005:i:1:n:5
    DOI: 10.2202/1534-5971.1108
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Roy Clemons, 2010. "Do external sources generate greater investor awareness that can affect a firm's value and cost of capital?," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 9(4), pages 382-394, November.
    2. Latoeiro, Pedro & Ramos, Sofía B. & Veiga, Helena, 2013. "Predictability of stock market activity using Google search queries," DES - Working Papers. Statistics and Econometrics. WS ws130605, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Estadística.
    3. Stefano Giglio & Kelly Shue, 2013. "No News is News: Do Markets Underreact to Nothing?," NBER Working Papers 18914, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Dragone, Davide, 2009. "I am getting tired: Effort and fatigue in intertemporal decision-making," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 552-562, August.
    5. D. Dragone, 2006. "Endogenous Attention Costs and Intertemporal Decision-Making," Working Papers 570, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    6. Kaine, Geoff & Lees, Jim & Wright, Vic, 2007. "An Approach to Predicting Demand for an Agricultural Innovation," Australasian Agribusiness Review, University of Melbourne, Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, vol. 15.
    7. Shane A. Corwin & Jay F. Coughenour, 2008. "Limited Attention and the Allocation of Effort in Securities Trading," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(6), pages 3031-3067, December.
    8. Garrett, Vicki & Koontz, Tomas M., 2008. "Breaking the cycle: Producer and consumer perspectives on the non-adoption of passive solar housing in the US," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 1551-1566, April.
    9. Takii, Katsuya, 2009. "Limited attention, interaction and the gradual adjustment of a firm's decisions," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 345-362, February.
    10. Schuster, Stephan, 2012. "Applications in Agent-Based Computational Economics," MPRA Paper 47201, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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