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In search of a preferred preference elicitation method: A test of the internal consistency of choice and matching tasks

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  • Attema, Arthur E.
  • Brouwer, Werner B.F.

Abstract

The numerous reports on preference reversals in preference elicitations pose a great challenge to empirical economics. Many studies have found that different tasks may generate substantially different preferences. However, little is known about whether one task is more susceptible to preference reversals than another. Therefore, taking the preference reversals as a robust behavioral pattern, guidelines are called for to provide directions regarding a preferred preference elicitation task. This paper puts forward a new test of the internal consistency of choice and matching tasks, based on “internal preference reversals”. We replicate the preference reversal phenomenon and find a significantly higher consistency within choice tasks than within matching tasks.

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  • Attema, Arthur E. & Brouwer, Werner B.F., 2013. "In search of a preferred preference elicitation method: A test of the internal consistency of choice and matching tasks," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 126-140.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:39:y:2013:i:c:p:126-140
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2013.07.009
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    2. Arthur E. Attema & Werner B.F. Brouwer, 2014. "Deriving Time Discounting Correction Factors For Tto Tariffs," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(4), pages 410-425, April.
    3. Ilke Aydogan & Loïc Berger & Valentina Bosetti & Ning Liu, 2023. "Three Layers of Uncertainty," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 21(5), pages 2209-2236.
    4. Beccacece, Francesca & Borgonovo, Emanuele & Buzzard, Greg & Cillo, Alessandra & Zionts, Stanley, 2015. "Elicitation of multiattribute value functions through high dimensional model representations: Monotonicity and interactions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 246(2), pages 517-527.
    5. repec:hal:journl:hal-03031751 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. José Luis Pinto‐Prades & Fernando Ignacio Sánchez‐Martínez & José María Abellán‐Perpiñán & Jorge E. Martínez‐Pérez, 2018. "Reducing preference reversals: The role of preference imprecision and nontransparent methods," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(8), pages 1230-1246, August.
    7. Merk, Christine & Rehdanz, Katrin & Schmidt, Ulrich & Schröder, Carsten, 2015. "Violations of scale compatibility: results from pricing tasks and choice tasks in choice experiments," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113023, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    8. Festjens, Anouk & Bruyneel, Sabrina & Diecidue, Enrico & Dewitte, Siegfried, 2015. "Time-based versus money-based decision making under risk: An experimental investigation," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 52-72.
    9. Fabrizi, Simona & Lippert, Steffen & Puppe, Clemens & Rosenkranz, Stephanie, 2016. "Manufacturer suggested retail prices, loss aversion and competition," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 141-153.
    10. Breuer, Wolfgang & Soypak, K. Can, 2015. "Framing effects in intertemporal choice tasks and financial implications," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 152-167.
    11. Sebastian Neumann-Böhme & Stefan A. Lipman & Werner B. F. Brouwer & Arthur E. Attema, 2021. "Trust me; I know what I am doing investigating the effect of choice list elicitation and domain-relevant training on preference reversals in decision making for others," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 22(5), pages 679-697, July.
    12. Zhihua Li & Kirsten I. M. Rohde & Peter P. Wakker, 2017. "Improving one’s choices by putting oneself in others’ shoes – An experimental analysis," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 1-13, February.
    13. Cathleen Johnson & Aurélien Baillon & Han Bleichrodt & Zhihua Li & Dennie Dolder & Peter P. Wakker, 2021. "Prince: An improved method for measuring incentivized preferences," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 62(1), pages 1-28, February.
    14. Stefan A. Lipman & Arthur E. Attema, 2024. "A systematic review of unique methods for measuring discount rates," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 69(2), pages 145-189, October.
    15. Haag, Fridolin & Lienert, Judit & Schuwirth, Nele & Reichert, Peter, 2019. "Identifying non-additive multi-attribute value functions based on uncertain indifference statements," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 49-67.
    16. Carlos Alós-Ferrer & Johannes Buckenmaier & Michele Garagnani, 2020. "Stochastic choice and preference reversals," ECON - Working Papers 370, Department of Economics - University of Zurich, revised Jul 2021.
    17. Alessandra Cillo & Enrico De Giorgi, 2017. "A New Approach to the Study of Editing of Repeated Lotteries," Working Papers 603, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Internal consistency; Loss aversion; Preference reversal; Scale compatibility; Time tradeoff method;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B40 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - General
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General

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