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Forming Priors for DSGE Models (and How it Affects the Assessment of Nominal Rigidities)

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  • Marco Del Negro
  • Frank Schorfheide

Abstract

The paper discusses prior elicitation for the parameters of dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models, and provides a method for constructing prior distributions for a subset of these parameters from beliefs about the moments of the endogenous variables. The empirical application studies the role of price and wage rigidities in a New Keynesian DSGE model and finds that standard macro time series cannot discriminate among theories that differ in the quantitative importance of nominal frictions.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Del Negro & Frank Schorfheide, 2008. "Forming Priors for DSGE Models (and How it Affects the Assessment of Nominal Rigidities)," NBER Working Papers 13741, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:13741
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    JEL classification:

    • C11 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Bayesian Analysis: General
    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • E3 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles

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