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Encompassing and rational expectations: How sequential corroboration can imply refutation

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  • David F. Hendry

    (Nuffield College, Oxford, OX1 1NF, UK)

  • Neil R. Ericsson

    (Stop 24, International Finance Division, Federal Reserve Board, 2000 C Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20551, USA)

Abstract

Even though pieces of empirical evidence individually may corroborate an economic theory, their joint existence may refute that same theory. Testing of rational expectations models provides a concrete illustration of this principle. Surprisingly, empirical refutation of a rational expectations model may occur without having to estimate that model, and the refutation may be for a large class of expectations-based models and not just for a particular model specification. Narrow money demand in the United Kingdom illustrates such refutation. The general proposition concerning corroboration and refutation strongly favors the building of empirical models that are consistent with all available evidence.

Suggested Citation

  • David F. Hendry & Neil R. Ericsson, 1999. "Encompassing and rational expectations: How sequential corroboration can imply refutation," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 1-21.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:24:y:1999:i:1:p:1-21
    Note: received: July 1994/final version received: July 1997
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    9. Cuthbertson, Keith, 1988. "The Demand for M1: A Forward Looking Buffer Stock Model," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 40(1), pages 110-131, March.
    10. Julia Campos & Neil R. Ericsson, 1988. "Econometric modeling of consumers' expenditure in Venezuela," International Finance Discussion Papers 325, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    11. Hendry, David F & Ericsson, Neil R, 1991. "An Econometric Analysis of U.K. Money Demand in 'Monetary Trends in the United States and the United Kingdom' by Milton Friedman and Anna Schwartz," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 81(1), pages 8-38, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Neil R. Ericsson & Jaime R. Marquez, 1990. "Evaluating the predictive performance of trade-account models," International Finance Discussion Papers 377, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    2. David F. Hendry, 2011. "Empirical Economic Model Discovery and Theory Evaluation," Rationality, Markets and Morals, Frankfurt School Verlag, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, vol. 2(46), October.
    3. Hugo Benítez-Silva & Debra Dwyer & Wayne-Roy Gayle & Thomas Muench, 2008. "Expectations in micro data: rationality revisited," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 381-416, March.
    4. Gunnar Bårdsen & Eilev S. Jansen & Ragnar Nymoen, 2002. "The Empirical (ir)Relevance of the New Keynesian Phillips Curve," Working Paper Series 2102, Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
    5. Kevin Hoover, 2005. "Economic Theory and Causal Inference," Working Papers 257, University of California, Davis, Department of Economics.
    6. Psaradakis, Zacharias & Sola, Martin, 1996. "On the power of tests for superexogeneity and structural invariance," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1-2), pages 151-175.
    7. Neil R. Ericsson & John S. Irons, 1995. "The Lucas critique in practice: theory without measurement," International Finance Discussion Papers 506, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    8. John S. Irons & N. Ericsson, "undated". "An early version of The Lucas Critique in Practice: Theory without Measurement," Home Pages _004, Massachussets Institute of Technology, Economics.
    9. repec:adr:anecst:y:2002:i:67-68:p:16 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Luca Fanelli, 2008. "Testing the New Keynesian Phillips Curve Through Vector Autoregressive Models: Results from the Euro Area," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 70(1), pages 53-66, February.
    11. Bårdsen, Gunnar & Jansen, Eilev S. & Nymoen, Ragnar, 2003. "Testing the New Keynesian Phillips curve," Memorandum 18/2002, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
    12. Nymoen, Ragnar & Swensen, Anders Rygh & Tveter, Eivind, 2012. "Interpreting the evidence for New Keynesian models of inflation dynamics," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 253-263.
    13. Bardsen, Gunnar & Eitrheim, Oyvind & Jansen, Eilev S. & Nymoen, Ragnar, 2005. "The Econometrics of Macroeconomic Modelling," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199246502.
    14. Ericsson, Neil R., 1992. "Cointegration, exogeneity, and policy analysis: An overview," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 251-280, June.
    15. Cheong, ChongCheul, 2003. "Regime changes and econometric modeling of the demand for money in Korea," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 437-453, May.
    16. Kevin Hoover, 2005. "Economic Theory and Causal Inference," Working Papers 64, University of California, Davis, Department of Economics.
    17. Julia Campos & Neil R. Ericsson, 1999. "Contructive data mining: modeling consumers' expenditure in Venezuela," Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 2(2), pages 226-240.
    18. Julia Campos & Neil R. Ericsson & David F. Hendry, 2005. "General-to-specific modeling: an overview and selected bibliography," International Finance Discussion Papers 838, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Conditional models · congruence · corroboration · encompassing · feedback · feedforward · Lucas critique · rational expectations · refutation · statistical inference;

    JEL classification:

    • C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation, Validation, and Selection
    • E13 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Neoclassical

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