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How Many Consumers are Rational?

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  • Stefan Hoderlein

    (Boston College)

Abstract

Rationality places strong restrictions on individual consumer behavior. This paper is concerned with assessing the validity of the integrability constraints imposed by standard utility maximization, arising in classical consumer demand analysis. More specifically, we characterize the testable implications of negative semidefiniteness and symmetry of the Slutsky matrix across a heterogeneous population without assuming anything on the functional form of individual preferences. In the same spirit, homogeneity of degree zero is being considered. Our approach employs nonseparable models and is centered around a conditional independence assumption, which is sufficiently general to allow for endogenous regressors. It is the only substantial assumption a researcher has to specify in this model, and has to be evaluated with particular care. Finally, we apply all concepts to British household data: We show that rationality is an acceptable description for large parts of the population, regardless of whether we test on single or composite households.

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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by Boston College Department of Economics in its series Boston College Working Papers in Economics with number 748.

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Date of creation: 20 Oct 2009
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Handle: RePEc:boc:bocoec:748

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Related research

Keywords: Nonparametric; Integrability; Testing Rationality; Nonseparable Models; Demand; Nonparametric IV;

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References

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  1. Caballero, Ricardo J., 1990. "Consumption puzzles and precautionary savings," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 113-136, January.
  2. Andrew Chesher, 2003. "Identification in Nonseparable Models," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(5), pages 1405-1441, 09.
  3. Deaton, Angus, 1992. "Understanding Consumption," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198288244, September.
  4. Kihlstrom, Richard E & Mas-Colell, Andreu & Sonnenschein, Hugo, 1976. "The Demand Theory of the Weak Axiom of Revealed Preference," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 44(5), pages 971-78, September.
  5. Quah, J.K.-H., 2000. "Weak Axiomatic Demand Theory," Economics Papers 2000-w12, Economics Group, Nuffield College, University of Oxford.
  6. Hoderlein, Stefan & Klemelä, Jussi & Mammen, Enno, 2010. "Analyzing The Random Coefficient Model Nonparametrically," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(03), pages 804-837, June.
  7. Wolfgang Härdle & Werner Hildenbrand & Michael Jerison, 1989. "Empirical Evidence on the Law of Demand," Discussion Paper Serie A 264a, University of Bonn, Germany.
  8. Martin Browning & Pierre-Andre Chiappori, 1994. "Efficient Intra-Household Allocations: a General Characterization and Empirical Tests," Department of Economics Working Papers 1994-02, McMaster University.
  9. Guido W. Imbens & Whitney K. Newey, 2002. "Identification and Estimation of Triangular Simultaneous Equations Models Without Additivity," NBER Technical Working Papers 0285, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  10. Richard W. Blundell & Martin Browning & Ian A. Crawford, 2003. "Nonparametric Engel Curves and Revealed Preference," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(1), pages 205-240, January.
  11. Lewbel, Arthur, 1989. "Identification and Estimation of Equivalence Scales under Weak Separability," Review of Economic Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(2), pages 311-16, April.
  12. Cherchye, Laurens & Vermeulen, Frederic, 2006. "Nonparametric analysis of household labour supply: Goodness-of-fit and power of the unitary and the collective model," Open Access publications from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven urn:hdl:123456789/120923, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
  13. Richard Blundell & Xiaohong Chen & Dennis Kristensen, 2007. "Semi-Nonparametric IV Estimation of Shape-Invariant Engel Curves," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 75(6), pages 1613-1669, November.
  14. Arthur Lewbel, 2001. "Demand Systems with and without Errors," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(3), pages 611-618, June.
  15. Hoderlein, Stefan & Mihaleva, Sonya, 2008. "Increasing the price variation in a repeated cross section," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 147(2), pages 316-325, December.
  16. Stoker, Thomas M, 1989. "Tests of Additive Derivative Constraints," Review of Economic Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(4), pages 535-52, October.
  17. Joseph G. Altonji & Rosa L. Matzkin, 2005. "Cross Section and Panel Data Estimators for Nonseparable Models with Endogenous Regressors," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 73(4), pages 1053-1102, 07.
  18. Richard Blundell & Joel Horowitz & Matthias Parey, 2009. "Measuring the price responsiveness of gasoline demand," CeMMAP working papers CWP11/09, Centre for Microdata Methods and Practice, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
  19. Deaton, Angus S & Muellbauer, John, 1980. "An Almost Ideal Demand System," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 70(3), pages 312-26, June.
  20. Haag, Berthold R. & Hoderlein, Stefan & Pendakur, Krishna, 2009. "Testing and imposing Slutsky symmetry in nonparametric demand systems," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 153(1), pages 33-50, November.
  21. Fortin, Bernard & Lacroix, Guy, 1997. "A Test of the Unitary and Collective Models of Household Labour Supply," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 107(443), pages 933-55, July.
  22. Caballero, Ricardo J, 1991. "Earnings Uncertainty and Aggregate Wealth Accumulation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 81(4), pages 859-71, September.
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Citations

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Cited by:
  1. Anyck Dauphin & Abdel-Rahmen El Lahga & Bernard Fortin & Guy Lacroix, 2010. "Are Children Decision-Makers Within the Household?," CIRANO Working Papers 2010s-17, CIRANO.
  2. Susanne Schennach & Halbert White & Karim Chalak, 2007. "Local Indirect Least Squares and Average Marginal Effects in Nonseparable Structural Systems," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 680, Boston College Department of Economics, revised 26 Dec 2009.
  3. Mark Dean & Daniel Martin, 2011. "Testing for Rationality with Consumption Data: Demographics and Heterogeneity," Working Papers 2011-11, Brown University, Department of Economics.
  4. Halbert White & Karim Chalak, 2010. "Testing a Conditional Form of Exogeneity," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 733, Boston College Department of Economics.
  5. Hoderlein, Stefan & Winter, Joachim, 2009. "Structural Measurement Errors in Nonseparable Models," Discussion Papers in Economics 9192, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
  6. Susanne Schennach & Halbert White & Karim Chalak, 2007. "Estimating average marginal effects in nonseparable structural systems," CeMMAP working papers CWP31/07, Centre for Microdata Methods and Practice, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
  7. Halbert White & Karim Chalak, 2008. "Identifying Structural Effects in Nonseparable Systems Using Covariates," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 734, Boston College Department of Economics.

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