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Does exposure to unawareness affect risk preferences? A preliminary result

Author

Listed:
  • Wenjun Ma

    (Shenzhen University)

  • Burkhard C. Schipper

    (University of California)

Abstract

One fundamental assumption often made in the literature on unawareness is that risk preferences are invariant to changes of awareness. We study how exposure to unawareness affects choices under risk. Participants in our experiment choose repeatedly between varying sure outcomes and a lottery in three phases. All treatments are exactly identical in phase 1 and phase 3, but differ in phase 2. There are five different treatments pertaining to the lottery faced in phase 2: The control treatment (i.e., a standard lottery), the treatment with awareness of unawareness of lottery outcomes but known number of outcomes, the treatment with awareness of unawareness of outcomes but with unknown number of outcomes, the treatment with unawareness of unawareness of some outcomes, and the treatment with an ambiguous lottery. We study both whether behavior differs in phase 3 across treatments (between subjects effect) and whether differences of subjects’ behavior between phases 1 and phase 3 differ across treatments (within subject effects). We observe no significant treatment effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenjun Ma & Burkhard C. Schipper, 2017. "Does exposure to unawareness affect risk preferences? A preliminary result," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 83(2), pages 245-257, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:theord:v:83:y:2017:i:2:d:10.1007_s11238-017-9594-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11238-017-9594-z
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

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    2. Dominiak, Adam & Tserenjigmid, Gerelt, 2018. "Belief consistency and invariant risk preferences," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 157-162.
    3. Karni, Edi & Vierø, Marie-Louise, 2017. "Awareness of unawareness: A theory of decision making in the face of ignorance," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 301-328.
    4. Guo, Julie & Tymula, Agnieszka, 2021. "Waterfall illusion in risky choice – exposure to outcome-irrelevant gambles affects subsequent valuation of risky gambles," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    5. Adam Dominiak & Ani Guerdjikova, 2021. "Pessimism and optimism towards new discoveries," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 90(3), pages 321-370, May.
    6. Ying Xue Li & Burkhard Schipper, 2025. "Disclosure under Unawareness: An Experiment," Working Papers 370, University of California, Davis, Department of Economics.
    7. Araujo, Felipe A. & Piermont, Evan, 2023. "Unawareness and risk taking: The role of context," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 61-79.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • D87 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Neuroeconomics

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