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Risk Perception and Altruistic Averting Behavior: Removing Arsenic in Drinking Water

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  • Cai, Yongxia
  • Shaw, W. Douglass
  • Wu, Ximing

Abstract

Self protection and altruism are crucial behavioral factors in determining the effectiveness of public policies aimed to improve human health from environmental hazards. This paper examined people’s arsenic mortality risk perception in the drinking water for themselves and their children using the Bayesian learning framework. A two-stage structural model within the random utility framework was developed to model the household’s risk averting behavior with respect to arsenic-related mortality risk. The empirical results indicate that parents engage in a form of mixed altruism. Parents are willing to spend more to make a trade-off between their risk and their children’s risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Cai, Yongxia & Shaw, W. Douglass & Wu, Ximing, 2008. "Risk Perception and Altruistic Averting Behavior: Removing Arsenic in Drinking Water," 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida 6149, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea08:6149
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.6149
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    1. Onjala, Joseph & Ndiritu, Simon Wagura & Stage, Jesper, 2013. "Risk Perception, Choice of Drinking Water, and Water Treatment: Evidence from Kenyan Towns," RFF Working Paper Series dp-13-10-efd, Resources for the Future.

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