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Biased Valuations, Damage Assessments, and Policy Choices: The Choice of Measure Matters

In: Research in Law and Economics

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  • Jack L. Knetsch

Abstract

As commonly pointed out in most instructional and operational manuals, and the benefit–cost and valuation texts on which they are largely based, there is general agreement among economic analysts that the economic values of gains and losses are correctly assessed by two different measures. The value of a gain is appropriately measured by the maximum sum people are willing to pay for it (the so-called WTP measure) – the amount that would leave them indifferent between paying to obtain the improvement and refusing the exchange. The value of a loss is accurately measured by the minimum compensation people demand to accept it (the so-called willingness-to-accept, or WTA, measure) – the sum that would leave them indifferent between being paid to bear the impairment and remaining whole without it.

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  • Jack L. Knetsch, 2007. "Biased Valuations, Damage Assessments, and Policy Choices: The Choice of Measure Matters," Research in Law and Economics, in: Research in Law and Economics, pages 345-358, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:rlwezz:s0193-5895(07)23018-0
    DOI: 10.1016/S0193-5895(07)23018-0
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    2. Yildiz, Özgür, 2014. "Lehren aus der Verhaltensökonomik für die Gestaltung umweltpolitischer Maßnahmen [Lessons from behavioral economics for the design of environmental policy measures]," MPRA Paper 59360, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Gastineau, Pascal & Taugourdeau, Emmanuelle, 2014. "Compensating for environmental damages," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 150-161.
    4. Stathopoulos, Amanda & Hess, Stephane, 2012. "Revisiting reference point formation, gains–losses asymmetry and non-linear sensitivities with an emphasis on attribute specific treatment," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 46(10), pages 1673-1689.
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    6. Pascal Gastineau & Emmanuelle Taugourdeau, 2012. "Which compensation for whom ?," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00768884, HAL.
    7. Gáfaro, Margarita & Mantilla, Cesar, 2021. "Environmental valuation using bargaining games: an application to water," OSF Preprints tcfyb, Center for Open Science.
    8. Robert J. Johnston & Kevin J. Boyle & Wiktor (Vic) Adamowicz & Jeff Bennett & Roy Brouwer & Trudy Ann Cameron & W. Michael Hanemann & Nick Hanley & Mandy Ryan & Riccardo Scarpa & Roger Tourangeau & Ch, 2017. "Contemporary Guidance for Stated Preference Studies," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(2), pages 319-405.
    9. Lloyd-Smith, Patrick & Adamowicz, Wiktor, 2018. "Can stated measures of willingness-to-accept be valid? Evidence from laboratory experiments," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 133-149.
    10. Amanda Stathopoulos & Stephane Hess, 2011. "Referencing, Gains-Losses Asymmetry And Non-Linear Sensitivities In Commuter Decisions: One Size Does Not Fit All!," Working Papers 0511, CREI Università degli Studi Roma Tre, revised 2011.

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