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A nonparametric test of weak separability and consumer preferences

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  • Fleissig, Adrian R.
  • Whitney, Gerald A.

Abstract

Two stochastic nonparametric procedures are developed to evaluate the significance of violations of weak separability. When the data have measurement error, we show that the necessary and sufficient weak separability conditions of Varian [Varian, H., 1983. Nonparametric tests of consumer behavior. Review of Economic Studies 50, 99-110] must also satisfy the Afriat inequalities. The tests detect weak separability with high probability for weakly separable data. In addition, the procedures correctly reject weak separability for both nonseparable and random utility simulated data sets. The tests also fail to reject weak separability for a monetary and consumption data set which suggests that measurement error may be the source of the observed violations.

Suggested Citation

  • Fleissig, Adrian R. & Whitney, Gerald A., 2008. "A nonparametric test of weak separability and consumer preferences," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 147(2), pages 275-281, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:econom:v:147:y:2008:i:2:p:275-281
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    5. Laurens CHERCHYE & Ian CRAWFORD & Bram DE ROCK & Frederic VERMEULEN, 2011. "Aggregation without the aggravation? Nonparametric analysis of the representative consumer," Working Papers of Department of Economics, Leuven ces11.36, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Department of Economics, Leuven.
    6. Smeulders, Bart & Crama, Yves & Spieksma, Frits C.R., 2019. "Revealed preference theory: An algorithmic outlook," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 272(3), pages 803-815.
    7. Hjertstrand, Per & Swofford, James L., 2019. "Revealed preference tests of indirect and homothetic weak separability of financial assets, consumption and leisure," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 108-114.
    8. Zhan, Minghua & Wang, Lijun & Zhan, Shuwei & Lu, Yao, 2023. "Does digital finance change the stability of money demand function? Evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    9. Sato, Hideyasu & 佐藤, 秀保, 2020. "Do Large-scale Point-of-sale Data Satisfy the Generalized Axiom of Revealed Preference in Aggregation Using Representative Price Indexes?: A Case Involving Processed Food and Beverages," RCESR Discussion Paper Series DP19-2, Research Center for Economic and Social Risks, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    10. Avner Seror, 2022. "The Priced Survey Methodology," AMSE Working Papers 2224, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.
    11. Hjertstrand, Per & Jones, Barry E., 2013. "What Do Revealed Preference Axioms Reveal about Elasticities of Demand?," Working Paper Series 972, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    12. Cherchye, Laurens & Demuynck, Thomas & De Rock, Bram & Hjertstrand, Per, 2015. "Revealed preference tests for weak separability: An integer programming approach," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 186(1), pages 129-141.
    13. Matthew Polisson, 2018. "A lattice test for additive separability," IFS Working Papers W18/08, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    14. Hjertstrand, Per & Swofford, James L. & Whitney, Gerald A., 2019. "Index Numbers and Revealed Preference Rankings," Working Paper Series 1308, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    15. Matthew Polisson, 2018. "A lattice test for additive separability," IFS Working Papers W18/08, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    16. Laurens Cherchye & Ian Crawford & Bram De Rock & Frederic Vermeulen, 2015. "Revealed Preference and Aggregation," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2015-08, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.

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