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Ambiguity and risk measures in the lab and students’ real-life borrowing behavior

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  • Fairley, Kim
  • Weitzel, Utz

Abstract

This study analyzes the external validity of experimentally elicited ambiguity aversion, likelihood insensitivity and risk aversion on real-life decision-making in the field of student loans. Our main finding is that ambiguity aversion, likelihood insensitivity and risk aversion are not related to the decision to take out a student loan nor to the amount students decide to borrow, conditional on having a loan. We discuss our results in the context of recent advances to relate lab measures of ambiguity aversion and likelihood insensitivity to real economic decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Fairley, Kim & Weitzel, Utz, 2017. "Ambiguity and risk measures in the lab and students’ real-life borrowing behavior," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 85-98.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:67:y:2017:i:c:p:85-98
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2016.12.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Gary Charness & Thomas Garcia & Theo Offerman & Marie Claire Villeval, 2020. "Do measures of risk attitude in the laboratory predict behavior under risk in and outside of the laboratory?," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 99-123, April.
    2. Naranjo, Maria A. & Alpízar, Francisco & Martinsson, Peter, 2019. "Alternatives for Risk Elicitation in the Field: Evidence from Coffee Farmers in Costa Rica," EfD Discussion Paper 19-21, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.
    3. Li, Jiangyan & Fairley, Kim & Fenneman, Achiel, 2024. "Does it matter how we produce ambiguity in experiments?," MPRA Paper 122336, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ambiguity aversion; Likelihood insensitivity; Risk aversion; Borrowing behavior; Student loans;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C9 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty
    • H4 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods

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