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Learning-by-Doing in an Ambiguous Environment

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Author Info
Jim Engle-Warnick ()
Sonia Laszlo ()

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Abstract

We experimentally test whether risk aversion or ambiguity aversion can explain decisions in a learning-by-doing game. We first measure subjects' preferences toward risk and ambiguity, and then use these measures to predict behavior in the game. We find that ambiguity averse subjects pay more often to resolve ambiguity, and we find that less risk averse subjects earn more in the game. Our results, in light of a previous field study of farmers in a developing economy, provide further evidence of a link between ambiguity aversion and technology choice, as well as a link between risk aversion and farm profitability.

Une étude expérimentale a été menée afin de tester si l’aversion au risque ou l’aversion à l’ambiguïté peuvent expliquer les décisions prises par les sujets lors d’un jeu d’apprentissage par essais. Nous avons d’abord mesuré la préférence des sujets face au risque et à l’ambiguïté, et avons ensuite utilisé ces mesures pour prédire le comportement des sujets au cours du jeu. Nous avons pu constater que les sujets qui éprouvent de l’aversion à l’ambiguïté décident de payer plus souvent afin de clarifier cette ambiguïté. D’autre part, nous avons constaté que moins les sujets éprouvent de l’aversion au risque, plus leurs gains lors du jeu sont élevés. À la lumière d’une étude sur le terrain ayant eu lieu avec des fermiers travaillant dans une économie en développement, nos résultats confirment l'évidence d'un lien entre l'aversion à l'ambiguïté et les choix technologiques, ainsi que d'un lien entre l'aversion au risque et la rentabilité d'une ferme.

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Paper provided by CIRANO in its series CIRANO Working Papers with number 2006s-29.

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Date of creation: 01 Dec 2006
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Handle: RePEc:cir:cirwor:2006s-29

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Keywords: learning-by-doing technology choice risk preferences risk measurement instruments ambiguity aversion experimental economics apprentissage par essais choix technologiques préférences vis-à-vis du risque instruments de mesure du risque aversion à l’ambiguïté économie expérimentale

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General

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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.:
  1. Hans P. Binswanger, 1980. "Attitudes Toward Risk: Experimental Measurement in Rural India," Artefactual Field Experiments 0008, The Field Experiments Website. [Downloadable!]
  2. Jim Engle-Warnick & Javier Escobal & Sonia Laszlo, 2007. "Ambiguity Aversion as a Predictor of Technology Choice: Experimental Evidence from Peru," CIRANO Working Papers 2007s-01, CIRANO. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Jovanovic, B. & Nyarko, Y., 1996. "Learning by Doing and the Choice of Technology," Working Papers 96-25, C.V. Starr Center for Applied Economics, New York University. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Merlo, Antonio & Schotter, Andrew, 2003. "Learning by not doing: an experimental investigation of observational learning," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 116-136, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  5. Mark Rosenzweig & Andrew D. Foster, . "Learning by Doing and Learning from Others: Human Capital and Technical Change in Agriculture," Home Pages _068, University of Pennsylvania. [Downloadable!]
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  6. Catherine Eckel & Cathleen Johnson & Claude Montmarquette, 2004. "Saving Decisions of the Working Poor: Short-and Long-Term Horizons," CIRANO Working Papers 2004s-45, CIRANO. [Downloadable!]
  7. John H. Kagel & Alvin E. Roth, 2000. "The Dynamics Of Reorganization In Matching Markets: A Laboratory Experiment Motivated By A Natural Experiment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 115(1), pages 201-235, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Charles A. Holt & Susan K. Laury, 2002. "Risk Aversion and Incentive Effects," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(5), pages 1644-1655, December. [Downloadable!]
  9. Jim Engle-Warnick & Nurlan Turdaliev, 2006. "An Experimental Test of Taylor-Type Rules with Inexperienced Central Bankers," CIRANO Working Papers 2006s-05, CIRANO. [Downloadable!]
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  10. Jason Abrevaya, 2002. "Computing Marginal Effects In The Box-Cox Model," Econometric Reviews, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 383-393. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. John Knight & Sharada Weir & Tassew Woldehanna, 2003. "The role of education in facilitating risk-taking and innovation in agriculture," The Journal of Development Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 39(6), pages 1-22, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Feder, Gershon & Just, Richard E & Zilberman, David, 1985. "Adoption of Agricultural Innovations in Developing Countries: A Survey," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 33(2), pages 255-98, January.
  13. Urs Fischbacher, 2007. "z-Tree: Zurich toolbox for ready-made economic experiments," Experimental Economics, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 171-178, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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(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.)

  1. Jim Engle-Warnick & Javier Escobal & Sonia Laszlo, 2007. "Ambiguity Aversion As A Predictor Of Technology Choice: Experimental Evidence From Peru," Departmental Working Papers 2007-04, McGill University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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