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Preferences under Ambiguity Without Event-Separability

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  • Kops, Christopher
  • Borah, Abhinash

Abstract

We propose and axiomatically characterize a representation of ambiguity sensitive preferences. The distinguishing feature of our axiomatization is that we do not require preferences to be event-wise separable over any domain of acts. Even without any such separability restrictions, we are able to uniquely elicit the decision maker's subjective probabilities. The novel axiom that allows us to do so expresses the idea that at least in the domain of a certain class of acts the decision maker exhibits a consistent tradeoff between risk and ambiguity concerns. Under our representation of her preferences, any act is assessed by its subjective expected utility and a residual that captures her assessment of the act's exposure to ambiguity.

Suggested Citation

  • Kops, Christopher & Borah, Abhinash, 2014. "Preferences under Ambiguity Without Event-Separability," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100629, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc14:100629
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    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/100629/1/VfS_2014_pid_682.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Fabio Maccheroni & Massimo Marinacci & Aldo Rustichini, 2006. "Ambiguity Aversion, Robustness, and the Variational Representation of Preferences," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 74(6), pages 1447-1498, November.
    6. Schmeidler, David, 1989. "Subjective Probability and Expected Utility without Additivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 57(3), pages 571-587, May.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • D00 - Microeconomics - - General - - - General
    • D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General

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