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Multiple Switching and Data Quality in the Multiple Price List

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  • Chi Wai Yu

    (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

  • Y. Jane Zhang

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Sharon Xuejing Zuo

    (School of Economics, Fudan University, and Shanghai Institute of International Finance and Economics)

Abstract

A substantial proportion of individuals who complete the widely used multiple price list (MPL) instrument switch back and forth between the safe and the risky choice columns, behavior that is believed to indicate low-quality decision making. We develop a conceptual framework to formally define decision-making quality, test explanations for the nature of low-quality decision making, and introduce a novel “nudge†treatment that reduced multiple switching behavior and increased decision-making quality. We find evidence in support of task-specific miscomprehension of the MPL and that non-multiple switchers and relatively high-cognitive-ability individuals are not immune to low-quality decision making.

Suggested Citation

  • Chi Wai Yu & Y. Jane Zhang & Sharon Xuejing Zuo, 2021. "Multiple Switching and Data Quality in the Multiple Price List," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 103(1), pages 136-150, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:103:y:2021:i:1:p:136-150
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    3. Ilke AYDOGAN & Loïc BERGER & Valentina BOSETTI, 2023. "Unraveling Ambiguity Aversion," Working Papers 2023-iRisk-01, IESEG School of Management.
    4. Wooyoung Lim & Sujata Visaria, 2020. "The Borrowing Puzzle: Why Do Filipino Domestic Workers in Hong Kong, China Borrow Rather than Dissave?," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 37(2), pages 77-99, September.
    5. Bokern, Paul & Linde, Jona & Riedl, Arno & Werner, Peter, 2023. "The robustness of preferences during a crisis: The case of COVID-19," Research Memorandum 012, Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE).
    6. Daniel J. Benjamin & Mark Alan Fontana & Miles Kimball, 2020. "Reconsidering Risk Aversion," GRU Working Paper Series GRU_2020_026, City University of Hong Kong, Department of Economics and Finance, Global Research Unit.
    7. Jack, B. Kelsey & McDermott, Kathryn & Sautmann, Anja, 2022. "Multiple price lists for willingness to pay elicitation," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    8. Rosato, Antonio & Tymula, Agnieszka, 2022. "A novel experimental test of truthful bidding in second-price auctions with real objects," MPRA Paper 115427, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Ilke Aydogan & Loïc Berger & Valentina Bosetti, 2023. "Unraveling Ambiguity Aversion," Post-Print hal-04071242, HAL.
    10. Chew, Soo Hong & Miao, Bin & Shen, Qiang & Zhong, Songfa, 2022. "Multiple-switching behavior in choice-list elicitation of risk preference," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    11. Ilke Aydogan & Loïc Berger & Valentina Bosetti, 2023. "Unraveling Ambiguity Aversion," Working Papers hal-04071242, HAL.
    12. Xiu Chen & Xiaojian Zhao, 2021. "How time flies!," Monash Economics Working Papers 2021-09, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    13. Changkuk Im, 2023. "Accurate Quality Elicitation in a Multi-Attribute Choice Setting," Papers 2309.00114, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2023.
    14. Anwesha Bandyopadhyay & Lutfunnahar Begum & Philip J. Grossman, 2021. "Gender differences in the stability of risk attitudes," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 63(2), pages 169-201, October.

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