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Intertemporal Bounded Rationality as Consideration Sets with Contraction Consistency

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  • Spears Dean

    (Princeton University, dspears@princeton.edu)

Abstract

How would a boundedly rational agent react to a larger menu? I model choice from an unobservable, subjective consideration subset. Consideration sets satisfy Sen’s property alpha: larger objective choice sets can generate smaller consideration sets. The contribution of this paper is a representation of choice among menus: choice sets are only as valuable as the best item in their subjective subsets, so larger sets can be worse. Unlike people facing temptation, a boundedly rational decision maker can strictly prefer both of two choice sets to their union. This model of intertemporal choice reflects how an agent who satisfies Weak WARP would choose, if sophisticated about her bounded rationality.

Suggested Citation

  • Spears Dean, 2011. "Intertemporal Bounded Rationality as Consideration Sets with Contraction Consistency," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejtec:v:11:y:2011:i:1:n:12
    DOI: 10.2202/1935-1704.1780
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Rohan Dutta & Sean Horan, 2015. "Inferring Rationales from Choice: Identification for Rational Shortlist Methods," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(4), pages 179-201, November.
    2. Christopher Tyson, 2013. "Behavioral implications of shortlisting procedures," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 41(4), pages 941-963, October.
    3. Manzini, Paola & Mariotti, Marco & Tyson, Christopher J., 2016. "Partial knowledge restrictions on the two-stage threshold model of choice," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 41-47.
    4. Christopher Tyson, 2013. "Behavioral implications of shortlisting procedures," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 41(4), pages 941-963, October.
    5. Horan, Sean, 2016. "A simple model of two-stage choice," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 372-406.
    6. Christopher Tyson, 2015. "Satisficing behavior with a secondary criterion," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 44(3), pages 639-661, March.
    7. Manzini, Paola & Mariotti, Marco & Tyson, Christopher J., 2016. "Partial knowledge restrictions on the two-stage threshold model of choice," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 41-47.
    8. Christopher Tyson, 2015. "Satisficing behavior with a secondary criterion," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 44(3), pages 639-661, March.
    9. Manzini, Paola & Mariotti, Marco & Tyson, Christopher J., 2011. "Manipulation of Choice Behavior," IZA Discussion Papers 5891, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Manzini, Paola & Mariotti, Marco & Tyson, Christopher J, 2015. "Partial Knowledge Restrictions on theTwo-Stage Threshold Model of Choice," 2007 Annual Meeting, July 29-August 1, 2007, Portland, Oregon TN 2015-58, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).

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