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Ambiguity revealed

Author

Listed:
  • Ralph Bayer

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies)

  • Subir Bose

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies)

  • Matthew Polisson

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies and University of Bristol)

  • Ludovic Renou

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies)

Abstract

We derive necessary and sufficient conditions for data sets composed of state-contingent prices and consumption to be consistent with two prominent models of decision making under uncertainty: variational preferences and smooth ambiguity. The revealed preference conditions for subjective expected utility, maxmin expected utility, and multiplier preferences are characterised as special cases. We implement our tests on data from a portfolio choice experiment.

Suggested Citation

  • Ralph Bayer & Subir Bose & Matthew Polisson & Ludovic Renou, 2013. "Ambiguity revealed," IFS Working Papers W13/05, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:ifs:ifsewp:13/05
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Laurens Cherchye & Bram De Rock & Frederic Vermeulen, 2007. "The Collective Model of Household Consumption: A Nonparametric Characterization," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 75(2), pages 553-574, March.
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    8. Itzhak Gilboa & Massimo Marinacci, 2011. "Ambiguity and the Bayesian Paradigm," Working Papers 379, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University.
    9. Varian, Hal R, 1988. "Estimating Risk Aversion from Arrow-Debreu Portfolio Choice," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 56(4), pages 973-979, July.
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    14. W. E. Diewert, 1973. "Afriat and Revealed Preference Theory," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 40(3), pages 419-425.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Polisson, Matthew & Renou, Ludovic, 2016. "Afriat’s Theorem and Samuelson’s ‘Eternal Darkness’," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 36-40.
    2. Aluma Dembo & Shachar Kariv & Matthew Polisson & John Quah, 2021. "Ever since Allais," IFS Working Papers W21/15, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    3. Matthew Polisson & John K.-H. Quah, 2013. "Revealed preference tests under risk and uncertainty," Discussion Papers in Economics 13/24, Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester.
    4. Stefania Minardi & Andrei Savochkin, 2017. "Characterizations of Smooth Ambiguity Based on Continuous and Discrete Data," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 42(1), pages 167-178, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ambiguity; expected utility; maxmin; revealed preference; smooth; uncertainty; variational;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

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