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Noisy Memory and Over-Reaction to News

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  • Rava Azeredo da Silveira
  • Michael Woodford

Abstract

We propose a model of optimal decision-making subject to a memory constraint. The constraint is a limit on the complexity of memory measured using Shannon's mutual information, as in models of rational inattention. We show that the model implies that both forecasts and actions will exhibit idiosyncratic random variation; that beliefs will fluctuate forever around the rational-expectations (perfect-memory) beliefs with a variance that does not fall to zero; and that more recent news will be given disproportionate weight. The model provides a simple explanation for a number of features of expectations in laboratory and field settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Rava Azeredo da Silveira & Michael Woodford, 2019. "Noisy Memory and Over-Reaction to News," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 109, pages 557-561, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:apandp:v:109:y:2019:p:557-61
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20191049
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hall, Robert E, 1978. "Stochastic Implications of the Life Cycle-Permanent Income Hypothesis: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 86(6), pages 971-987, December.
    2. Thesmar, David & Landier, Augustin & Ma, Yueran, 2017. "New Experimental Evidence on Expectations Formation," CEPR Discussion Papers 12527, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
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    Cited by:

    1. Galanis, Giorgos & Kollias, Iraklis & Leventidis, Ioanis & Lustenhouwer, Joep, 2022. "Generalizing Heterogeneous Dynamic Heuristic Selection," CRETA Online Discussion Paper Series 73, Centre for Research in Economic Theory and its Applications CRETA.
    2. Benjamin Enke & Thomas Graeber, 2019. "Cognitive Uncertainty," NBER Working Papers 26518, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Besley, Timothy & Fetzer, Thiemo & Mueller, Hannes, 2019. "Terror and Tourism : The Economic Consequences of Media Coverage," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1235, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    4. Chen Lian, 2023. "Mistakes in Future Consumption, High MPCs Now," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 563-581, December.
    5. Neligh, Nathaniel, 2024. "Rational memory with decay," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 223(C), pages 120-145.
    6. Timothy Besley & Thiemo Fetzer & Hannes Mueller, 2023. "How Big Is the Media Multiplier? Evidence from Dyadic News Data," CESifo Working Paper Series 10619, CESifo.
    7. Chahrour, Ryan & Jurado, Kyle, 2021. "Optimal foresight," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 245-259.
    8. Xie, Erhao, 2021. "Empirical properties and identification of adaptive learning models in behavioral game theory," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 798-821.
    9. Chen Lian, 2021. "Mistakes in Future Consumption, High MPCs Now," NBER Working Papers 29517, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. George-Marios Angeletos & Karthik Sastry, 2019. "Inattentive Economies," NBER Working Papers 26413, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Caballero, Adrián & López-Pérez, Raúl, 2022. "Heterogeneous primacy and recency effects in frequency estimation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 182-203.
    12. Galanis, Giorgos & Kollias, Iraklis & Leventidis, Ioanis & Lustenhouwer, Joep, 2022. "Generalizing Heuristic Switching Models," Working Papers 0715, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations

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