On preference imprecision

Recent research invokes preference imprecision to explain violations of individual decision theory. While these inquiries are suggestive, the nature and significance of such imprecision remain poorly understood. We explore three questions using a new measurement tool in an experimental investigation...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cubitt, Robin P., Navarro-Martinez, Daniel, Starmer, Chris
Format: Article
Published: Springer 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29783/
_version_ 1848793851950530560
author Cubitt, Robin P.
Navarro-Martinez, Daniel
Starmer, Chris
author_facet Cubitt, Robin P.
Navarro-Martinez, Daniel
Starmer, Chris
author_sort Cubitt, Robin P.
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Recent research invokes preference imprecision to explain violations of individual decision theory. While these inquiries are suggestive, the nature and significance of such imprecision remain poorly understood. We explore three questions using a new measurement tool in an experimental investigation of imprecision in lottery valuations: Does such preference imprecision vary coherently with lottery structure? Is it stable on repeat measurement? Does it have explanatory value for economic behaviour? We find that imprecision behaves coherently, shows no tendency to change systematically with experience, is related to choice variability, but is not a main driver of the violations of standard decision theory that we consider.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T19:06:52Z
format Article
id nottingham-29783
institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T19:06:52Z
publishDate 2015
publisher Springer
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling nottingham-297832020-05-04T17:02:18Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29783/ On preference imprecision Cubitt, Robin P. Navarro-Martinez, Daniel Starmer, Chris Recent research invokes preference imprecision to explain violations of individual decision theory. While these inquiries are suggestive, the nature and significance of such imprecision remain poorly understood. We explore three questions using a new measurement tool in an experimental investigation of imprecision in lottery valuations: Does such preference imprecision vary coherently with lottery structure? Is it stable on repeat measurement? Does it have explanatory value for economic behaviour? We find that imprecision behaves coherently, shows no tendency to change systematically with experience, is related to choice variability, but is not a main driver of the violations of standard decision theory that we consider. Springer 2015-02-20 Article PeerReviewed Cubitt, Robin P., Navarro-Martinez, Daniel and Starmer, Chris (2015) On preference imprecision. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 50 (1). pp. 1-34. ISSN 0895-5646 Preference imprecision imprecision intervals noisy preferences violations of expected utility theory construct validity http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11166-015-9207-6/fulltext.html doi:10.1007/s11166-015-9207-6 doi:10.1007/s11166-015-9207-6
spellingShingle Preference imprecision
imprecision intervals
noisy preferences
violations of expected utility theory
construct validity
Cubitt, Robin P.
Navarro-Martinez, Daniel
Starmer, Chris
On preference imprecision
title On preference imprecision
title_full On preference imprecision
title_fullStr On preference imprecision
title_full_unstemmed On preference imprecision
title_short On preference imprecision
title_sort on preference imprecision
topic Preference imprecision
imprecision intervals
noisy preferences
violations of expected utility theory
construct validity
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29783/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29783/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/29783/