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Connected Incomplete Preferences

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  • Leandro Gorno
  • Alessandro Rivello

Abstract

The standard model of choice in economics is the maximization of a complete and transitive preference relation over a fixed set of alternatives. While completeness of preferences is usually regarded as a strong assumption, weakening it requires care to ensure that the resulting model still has enough structure to yield interesting results. This paper takes a step in this direction by studying the class of "connected preferences", that is, preferences that may fail to be complete but have connected maximal domains of comparability. We offer four new results. Theorem 1 identifies a basic necessary condition for a continuous preference to be connected in the sense above, while Theorem 2 provides sufficient conditions. Building on the latter, Theorem 3 characterizes the maximal domains of comparability. Finally, Theorem 4 presents conditions that ensure that maximal domains are arc-connected.

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  • Leandro Gorno & Alessandro Rivello, 2020. "Connected Incomplete Preferences," Papers 2008.04401, arXiv.org.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2008.04401
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Amartya Sen, 1969. "Quasi-Transitivity, Rational Choice and Collective Decisions," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 36(3), pages 381-393.
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    3. Gul, Faruk, 1991. "A Theory of Disappointment Aversion," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 59(3), pages 667-686, May.
    4. Dubra, Juan & Maccheroni, Fabio & Ok, Efe A., 2004. "Expected utility theory without the completeness axiom," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 115(1), pages 118-133, March.
    5. Efe A. Ok, 2007. "Preliminaries of Real Analysis, from Real Analysis with Economic Applications," Introductory Chapters, in: Real Analysis with Economic Applications, Princeton University Press.
    6. Schmeidler, David, 1971. "A Condition for the Completeness of Partial Preference Relations," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 39(2), pages 403-404, March.
    7. Leandro Gorno, 2018. "The structure of incomplete preferences," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 66(1), pages 159-185, July.
    8. Dekel, Eddie, 1986. "An axiomatic characterization of preferences under uncertainty: Weakening the independence axiom," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 304-318, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gorno, Leandro & Rivello, Alessandro T., 2023. "A maximum theorem for incomplete preferences," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).

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