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An Investigation of Time Consistency for Subjective Discontinued Utility

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Abstract

A well-known common agreement in decision theory is that only exponential decision makers are time consistent i.e. with the mere passage of time, future choices must not contradict the initial choice. Building on this result, a large range of works has studied time inconsistency as a direct application of hyperbolic discounting. These articles share the common objective time assumption under which decision makers have a perfect perception of future periods. This paper firstly highlights that, when no further condition than separability is mentioned, any discount mechanism is compatible with time consistency. Then, we investigate time consistency assuming that individual time perception may be submitted to time distortion. In particular, an axiomatic discounting model called Subjective Discounted Utility (SDU) is provided to illustrate how hyperbolic decision makers may be time consistent.

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  • André Lapied & Olivier Renault, 2012. "An Investigation of Time Consistency for Subjective Discontinued Utility," AMSE Working Papers 1210, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.
    • Handle: RePEc:aim:wpaimx:1210
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    Cited by:

    1. Dorian Jullien, 2018. "Under Risk, Over Time, Regarding Other People: Language and Rationality within Three Dimensions," Research in the History of Economic Thought and Methodology, in: Including a Symposium on Latin American Monetary Thought: Two Centuries in Search of Originality, volume 36, pages 119-155, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    2. Dorian Jullien, 2016. "Under Uncertainty, Over Time and Regarding Other People: Rationality in 3D," GREDEG Working Papers 2016-20, Groupe de REcherche en Droit, Economie, Gestion (GREDEG CNRS), Université Côte d'Azur, France.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Discounting; Time Distance; Time Consistency; Separable Preferences.;
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    JEL classification:

    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General

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