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Homothetic Preferences Revealed

Author

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  • Heufer, Jan

    (Erasmus School of Economics and Tinbergen Institute)

  • Hjertstrand, Per

    (Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN))

Abstract

We propose a method to recover homothetic preferences from choice data with minor optimization or measurement errors. Our method allows for a more detailed graphical analysis to reveal subjects' preferences and to choose appropriate functional forms for parametric analysis. It can also be used to extend applications of the money metric function, such as parametric recoverability as introduced by Halevy et al. (2017). It can also improve nonparametric comparison of preferences as suggested by Heufer (2014).

Suggested Citation

  • Heufer, Jan & Hjertstrand, Per, 2017. "Homothetic Preferences Revealed," Working Paper Series 1187, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:iuiwop:1187
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Richard W. Blundell & Martin Browning & Ian A. Crawford, 2003. "Nonparametric Engel Curves and Revealed Preference," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(1), pages 205-240, January.
    2. Raymond Fisman & Shachar Kariv & Daniel Markovits, 2007. "Individual Preferences for Giving," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(5), pages 1858-1876, December.
    3. Yoram Halevy & Dotan Persitz & Lanny Zrill, 2018. "Parametric Recoverability of Preferences," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 126(4), pages 1558-1593.
    4. Samuelson, Paul A, 1974. "Complementarity-An Essay on the 40th Anniversary of the Hicks-Allen Revolution in Demand Theory," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 12(4), pages 1255-1289, December.
    5. Varian, Hal R, 1982. "The Nonparametric Approach to Demand Analysis," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(4), pages 945-973, July.
    6. Raymond Fisman & Shachar Kariv & Daniel Markovits, 2007. "Individual Preferences for Giving," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(5), pages 1858-1876, December.
    7. Richard Blundell & Martin Browning & Laurens Cherchye & Ian Crawford & Bram De Rock & Frederic Vermeulen, 2015. "Sharp for SARP: Nonparametric Bounds on Counterfactual Demands," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(1), pages 43-60, February.
    8. Nash, John, 1950. "The Bargaining Problem," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 18(2), pages 155-162, April.
    9. Jan Heufer, 2013. "Testing revealed preferences for homotheticity with two-good experiments," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 16(1), pages 114-124, March.
    10. Yaari, Menahem E., 1969. "Some remarks on measures of risk aversion and on their uses," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 1(3), pages 315-329, October.
    11. Knoblauch, Vicki, 1992. "A Tight Upper Bound on the Money Metric Utility Function," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 82(3), pages 660-663, June.
    12. Jan Heufer & Per Hjertstrand, 2019. "Homothetic Efficiency: Theory and Applications," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 235-247, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mikhail Freer & César Martinelli, 2023. "An algebraic approach to revealed preference," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 75(3), pages 717-742, April.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis

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