The preference reversal phenomenon: Response mode, markets and incentives (*)

This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data

The preference reversal phenomenon: Response mode, markets and incentives (*)

Author Info

David M. Grether (California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA)
James C. Cox (Department of Economics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

Abstract

This paper addresses the apparent conflict between the results of experiments on individual choice and judgement and the results of market experiments. Data are reported for experiments designed to analyze the effects of (a) economic incentives, repetition, feedback and information and (b) choice and valuation response modes on (c) subjects' decisions in paired market and nonmarket environments. Causes of divergent market and nonmarket behavior are identified in the context of the preference reversal phenomenon (PRP). Study of the PRP is extended to two types of market environments. The PRP is observed on the first repetition in a market setting (second price auction) with immediate feedback, both with and without financial incentives. However, after five repetitions of the auction, the subjects' bids are generally consistent with their choices and the asymmetry between the rates of predicted and unpredicted reversals disappears. An individual pricing task using the BDM mechanism yields similar results on the first repetition but results which differ from the second price auction on the fifth repetition. Choice tasks produce lower rates of reversals than do pricing tasks in both market and individual decision making settings.

Download Info
To our knowledge, this item is not available for download. To find whether it is available, there are three options:
1. Check below under "Related research" whether another version of this item is available online.
2. Check on the provider's web page whether it is in fact available.
3. Perform a search for a similarly titled item that would be available.

Publisher Info
Article provided by Springer in its journal Economic Theory.

Volume (Year): 7 (1996)
Issue (Month): 3 ()
Pages: 381-405
Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Handle: RePEc:spr:joecth:v:7:y:1996:i:3:p:381-405

Note: Received: September 15, 1994; revised version March 2, 1995
Contact details of provider:
Web page: http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/00199/index.htm

Order Information:
Web: http://link.springer.de/orders.htm

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Christopher F Baum).

Related research
Keywords:

Other versions of this item:

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

Joyce E Berg & John W Dickhaut & Thomas A Rietz, 2004. "Preference Reversals: The Impact of Truth-Revealing Incentives," Levine's Bibliography 122247000000000571, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
James C. Cox, 2009. "Some Issues of Methods, Theories, and Experimental Designs," Experimental Economics Center Working Paper Series 2009-02, Experimental Economics Center, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University. [Downloadable!]
Graham Loomes & Chris Starmer & Robert Sugden, 2007. "Preference reversals and disparities between willingness to pay and willingness to accept in repeated markets," Discussion Papers 2007-10, The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham. [Downloadable!]
John A. List, 2002. "Preference Reversals of a Different Kind: The "More Is Less" Phenomenon," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(5), pages 1636-1643, December. [Downloadable!]
Graham Loomes & Chris Starmer & Robert Sugden, 2003. "Do Anomalies Disappear in Repeated Markets?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 113(486), pages C153-C166, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- Loomes, Graham & Chris Starmer & Robert Sugden, 2002. "Do Anomalies Disappear in Repeated Markets?," Royal Economic Society Annual Conference 2002 132, Royal Economic Society. [Downloadable!]
Di Mauro, Carmela & Maffioletti, Anna, 2001. "Reaction to Uncertainty and Market Mechanism:Experimental Evidence," Sonderforschungsbereich 504 Publications 01-41, Sonderforschungsbereich 504, Universität Mannheim & Sonderforschungsbereich 504, University of Mannheim. [Downloadable!]
Camerer, Colin F. & Hogarth, Robin M., 1999. "The Effects of Financial Incentives in Experiments: A Review and Capital-Labor-Production Framework," Working Papers 1059, California Institute of Technology, Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences. [Downloadable!]
Vernon L. Smith, 2003. "Constructivist and Ecological Rationality in Economics," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(3), pages 465-508, June. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Smith, Vernon L., 2002. "Constructivist and Ecological Rationality in Economics," Nobel Prize in Economics documents 2002-7, Nobel Prize Committee. [Downloadable!]

Statistics

Access and download statistics

Did you know? IDEAS also indexes book chapters.

This page was last updated on 2009-11-25.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.