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Nontransitive Preferences in Decision Theory

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Author Info
Fishburn, Peter C
Abstract

Intransitive preferences have been a topic of curiosity, study, and debate over the past 40 yers. Many economists and decision theorists insist on transitivity as the cornerstone of rational choice, and even in behavioral decision theory intransitivities are often attributed to faulty experiments, random or sloppy choices, poor judgment, or unexamined biases. But others see intransitive preferences and potential truths of reasoned comparisons and propose representations of preferences that accommodate intransitivities. This article offers a partial survey of models for intransitive preference in a variety of decisional contexts. These include economic consumer theory, multiattribute utility theory, game theory, preference between time streams, and decision making under risk and uncertainty. The survey is preceded by a discussion of issues that bear on the relevance and reasonableness of intransitivity. Copyright 1991 by Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Publisher Info
Article provided by Springer in its journal Journal of Risk and Uncertainty.

Volume (Year): 4 (1991)
Issue (Month): 2 (April)
Pages: 113-34
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Handle: RePEc:kap:jrisku:v:4:y:1991:i:2:p:113-34

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  1. Birnbaum, Michael H. & Schmidt, Ulrich, 2006. "Empirical Tests of Intransitivity Predicted by Models of Risky Choice," Economics Working Papers 2006,10, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  2. Francesco Guala, 2000. "The logic of normative falsification: rationality and experiments in decision theory," Journal of Economic Methodology, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 59-93, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. John Quah, 2006. "Weak axiomatic demand theory," Economic Theory, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 677-699, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  4. Heller, Yuval, 2009. "Justifiable choice," MPRA Paper 15645, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  5. Michele Lombardi, 2009. "Minimal covering set solutions," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 687-695, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Konstantinos Katsikopoulos & Gerd Gigerenzer, 2008. "One-reason decision-making: Modeling violations of expected utility theory," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 35-56, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Voorneveld, Mark, 1999. "Numerical Representation of Incomplete and Nontransitive Preferences and Indifferences on a Countable Set," Research Papers in Economics 1999:6, Stockholm University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  8. Robin Hogarth & Natalia Karelaia, 2004. "Simple Models for Multi-attribute Choice with Many Alternatives: When it does and does not Pay to Face Tradeoffs with Binary Attributes," Economics Working Papers 739, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, revised Apr 2005.
  9. Michael Birnbaum & Ulrich Schmidt, 2008. "An experimental investigation of violations of transitivity in choice under uncertainty," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 77-91, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Michele Lombardi, 2008. "Uncovered set choice rules," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 271-279, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  11. Theodore Turocy, 2007. "On the sufficiency of transitive preferences," Economics Bulletin, Economics Bulletin, vol. 4(22), pages 1-9. [Downloadable!]
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