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Random Consumer Demand

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  • WILLIAM J. McCAUSLAND

Abstract

I present a theory of random consumer demand. The primitive is a collection of probability distributions on budgets. Axioms constrain these distributions, including analogues of preference axioms, such as transitivity, monotonicity and convexity. Results establish a complete representation of theoretically consistent demand. The theory's purpose is empirical application. To this end, the theory has desirable properties. Intrinsically stochastic, econometricians can apply it without adding extrinsic randomness in the form of errors. Random demand is parsimoniously represented by a single function on the consumption set. Finally, there exist practical methods for inference based on the theory, described in a companion paper.

Suggested Citation

  • WILLIAM J. McCAUSLAND, 2009. "Random Consumer Demand," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 76(301), pages 89-107, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:econom:v:76:y:2009:i:301:p:89-107
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0335.2007.00651.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. McCAUSLAND, William J., 2004. "Bayesian Analysis for a Theory of Random Consumer Demand: The Case of Indivisible Goods," Cahiers de recherche 10-2004, Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en économie quantitative, CIREQ.
    2. Varian, Hal R., 1990. "Goodness-of-fit in optimizing models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 46(1-2), pages 125-140.
    3. Barbera, Salvador & Pattanaik, Prasanta K, 1986. "Falmagne and the Rationalizability of Stochastic Choices in Terms of Random Orderings," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(3), pages 707-715, May.
    4. Bandyopadhyay, Taradas & Bandyopadhyay, Bandyopadhyay & Pattanaik, Prasanta K., 2002. "Demand Aggregation and the Weak Axiom of Stochastic Revealed Preference," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 107(2), pages 483-489, December.
    5. McCAUSLAND, William, 2004. "A Theory of Random Consumer Demand," Cahiers de recherche 2004-04, Universite de Montreal, Departement de sciences economiques.
    6. Bandyopadhyay, Taradas & Dasgupta, Indraneel & Pattanaik, Prasanta K., 1999. "Stochastic Revealed Preference and the Theory of Demand," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 95-110, January.
    7. Taradas Bandyopadhyay & Indraneel Dasgupta & Prasanta Pattanaik, 2004. "A general revealed preference theorem for stochastic demand behavior," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 23(3), pages 589-599, March.
    8. Kannai, Yakar, 1974. "Approximation of convex preferences," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 101-106, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dasgupta Indraneel & Pattanaik P. K, 2010. "Revealed Preference with Stochastic Demand Correspondence," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 10(1), pages 1-21, August.
    2. Indraneel Dasgupta, 2011. "Contraction consistent stochastic choice correspondence," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 37(4), pages 643-658, October.
    3. Cerreia-Vioglio, Simone & Lindberg, Per Olov & Maccheroni, Fabio & Marinacci, Massimo & Rustichini, Aldo, 2021. "A canon of probabilistic rationality," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    4. Per Hjertstrand & James Swofford, 2014. "Are the choices of people stochastically rational? A stochastic test of the number of revealed preference violations," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 46(4), pages 1495-1519, June.
    5. Javier A. Birchenall, 2024. "Random choice and market demand," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 57(1), pages 165-198, February.

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