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  3. American Economic Review
  4. May 2013
  5. Distinguishing Probability Weighting from Risk Misperceptions in Field Data

American Economic Review

ISSN 0002-8282 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7981 (Online)

Distinguishing Probability Weighting from Risk Misperceptions in Field Data

  • Levon Barseghyan
  • Francesca Molinari
  • Ted O'Donoghue
  • Joshua C. Teitelbaum
American Economic Review
vol. 103, no. 3, May 2013
(pp. 580–85)
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Abstract

We outline a strategy for distinguishing rank-dependent probability weighting from systematic risk misperceptions in field data. Our strategy relies on singling out a field environment with two key properties: (i) the objects of choice are money lotteries with more than two outcomes; and (ii) the ranking of outcomes differs across lotteries. We first present an abstract model of risky choice that elucidates the identification problem and our strategy. The model has numerous applications, including insurance choices and gambling. We then consider the application of insurance deductible choices and illustrate our strategy using simulated data.

Citation

Barseghyan, Levon, Francesca Molinari, Ted O'Donoghue, and Joshua C. Teitelbaum. 2013. "Distinguishing Probability Weighting from Risk Misperceptions in Field Data." American Economic Review, 103 (3): 580–85. DOI: 10.1257/aer.103.3.580

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • C93 Field Experiments
  • D81 Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty