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Skewed background risks and higher-order risk preferences: prudent versus temperate behavior

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  • Thomas Mayrhofer

Abstract

In recent economic experiments, lotteries with left-skewed background risks elicit more prudent choices than lotteries with right-skewed background risks. In this letter, we use an expected utility framework to show that a skewed zero-mean background risk may induce not only prudent but also temperate behaviour. We suggest that the experimental findings could also be due to temperance, rather than merely to prudence.

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  • Thomas Mayrhofer, 2017. "Skewed background risks and higher-order risk preferences: prudent versus temperate behavior," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(5), pages 338-341, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apeclt:v:24:y:2017:i:5:p:338-341
    DOI: 10.1080/13504851.2016.1192265
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    1. repec:zbw:rwirep:0321 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Cary Deck & Harris Schlesinger, 2010. "Exploring Higher Order Risk Effects," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 77(4), pages 1403-1420.
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    6. Sebastian Ebert & Daniel Wiesen, 2014. "Joint measurement of risk aversion, prudence, and temperance," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 231-252, June.
    7. Kimball, Miles S, 1990. "Precautionary Saving in the Small and in the Large," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 58(1), pages 53-73, January.
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    9. Heinrich, Timo & Mayrhofer, Thomas, 2014. "Higher-order Risk Preferences in Social Settings - An Experimental Analysis," Ruhr Economic Papers 508, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    10. Mayrhofer, Thomas & Krieger, Miriam, 2012. "Patient Preferences and Treatment Thresholds under Diagnostic Risk: An Economic Laboratory Experiment," VfS Annual Conference 2012 (Goettingen): New Approaches and Challenges for the Labor Market of the 21st Century 62033, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
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    Cited by:

    1. Timo Heinrich & Thomas Mayrhofer, 2018. "Higher-order risk preferences in social settings," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 21(2), pages 434-456, June.
    2. Brunette, Marielle & Jacob, Julien, 2019. "Risk aversion, prudence and temperance: An experiment in gain and loss," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 174-189.
    3. Brunette, Marielle & Jacob, Julien, 2019. "Risk aversion, prudence and temperance: An experiment in gain and loss," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 174-189.

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