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Ambiguous Solicitation: Ambiguous Prescription

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We conduct a two-phase laboratory experiment, separated by several weeks. In the first phase, we conduct urn games intended to measure ambiguity aversion on a representative population of undergraduate students. In the second phase, we invite the students back with four different solicitation treatments, varying in the ambiguity of information regarding the task and the payout of the laboratory experiment. We find that those who return do not differ from the overall pool with respect to their ambiguity version. However, no solicitation treatment generates a representative sample. The ambiguous task treatment drives away the ambiguity averse disproportionally, and the detailed task treatment draws in the ambiguity averse disproportionally.

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  • Robert S. Gazzale & Julian Jamison & Alexander Karlan & Dean S. Karlan, 2009. "Ambiguous Solicitation: Ambiguous Prescription," Department of Economics Working Papers 2009-02, Department of Economics, Williams College.
    • Handle: RePEc:wil:wileco:2009-02
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    Cited by:

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    2. Cai, Jing & Song, Changcheng, 2013. "Do Hypothetical Experiences Affect Real Financial Decisions? Evidence from Insurance Take-up," MPRA Paper 46862, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Cai, Jing & Song, Changcheng, 2017. "Do disaster experience and knowledge affect insurance take-up decisions?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 83-94.
    4. Jing Cai & Changcheng Song, 2016. "Do Disaster Experience and Knowledge Affect Insurance Take-up Decisions?," NBER Working Papers 22403, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Oechssler, Jörg & Roomets, Alex, 2014. "A Test of Mechanical Ambiguity," Working Papers 0555, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.
    6. Oechssler, Jörg & Roomets, Alex, 2015. "A test of mechanical ambiguity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 153-162.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    laboratory experimental methods; experimental economics; laboratory selection effects;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B40 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - General
    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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