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Risk Preference Types, Limited Consideration, and Welfare

Levon Barseghyan, Francesca Molinari

arXiv 18 Jul 2023 · Econometrics · publishedJournal of Business and Economic Statistics (2023) · 5 citations (OpenAlex)

arXiv:2307.09411 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

We provide sufficient conditions for semi-nonparametric point identification of a mixture model of decision making under risk, when agents make choices in multiple lines of insurance coverage (contexts) by purchasing a bundle. As a first departure from the related literature, the model allows for two preference types. In the first one, agents behave according to standard expected utility theory with CARA Bernoulli utility function, with an agent-specific coefficient of absolute risk aversion whose distribution is left completely unspecified. In the other, agents behave according to the dual theory of choice under risk(Yaari, 1987) combined with a one-parameter family distortion function, where the parameter is agent-specific and is drawn from a distribution that is left completely unspecified. Within each preference type, the model allows for unobserved heterogeneity in consideration sets, where the latter form at the bundle level -- a second departure from the related literature. Our point identification result rests on observing sufficient variation in covariates across contexts, without requiring any independent variation across alternatives within a single context. We estimate the model on data on households' deductible choices in two lines of property insurance, and use the results to assess the welfare implications of a hypothetical market intervention where the two lines of insurance are combined into a single one. We study the role of limited consideration in mediating the welfare effects of such intervention.

Citation extraction

60
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Most heavily cited references

The works this paper leans on most, across its whole bibliography — not restricted to papers in our corpus. Ranked by composite intensity, which combines how often a work is mentioned, how many sections mention it, and how much of that falls in the main text rather than the appendix.

ReferenceIntensityMentionsSectionsMain text
1Barseghyan, L., F. Molinari, and M. Thirkettle (2021) b): Discrete Choice under Risk with Limited Consideration self1.000175100%
2Barseghyan, L., M. Coughlin, F. Molinari, and J. C. Teitelbaum (2021) a): Heterogeneous Choice Sets and Preferences self0.92843100%
3Cohen, A. and L. Einav (2007) Estimating Risk Preferences from Deductible Choice0.92843100%
4Yaari, M. E (1987) The Dual Theory of Choice under Risk0.92843100%
5Barseghyan, L., F. Molinari, and J. C. Teitelbaum (2016) Inference Under Stability of Risk Preferences self0.87452100%
6Barseghyan, L., F. Molinari, T. O'Donoghue, and J. C. Teitelbaum (2013) The Nature of Risk Preferences: Evidence from Insurance Choices self0.87452100%
7Barseghyan, L., J. Prince, and J. C. Teitelbaum (2011) Are Risk Preferences Stable Across Contexts? Evidence from Insurance Data self0.73732100%
8Manski, C. F (1977) The Structure of Random Utility Models0.73732100%
9Einav, L., A. Finkelstein, I. Pascu, and M. R. Cullen (2012) How General are Risk Preferences? Choice under Uncertainty in Different Domains0.64422100%
10Apesteguia, J., M. A. Ballester, and J. Lu (2017) Single-Crossing Random Utility Models0.64422100%

Showing the top 10 of 60 scored citations.

Cited by, within the corpus

arXiv econ.EM papers that cite this one, ranked by how heavily they lean on it.

Citing paperIntensityMentionsSections
1Context-Dependent Heterogeneous Preferences: A Comment on Barseghyan and Molinari (2023)1.000195