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Are decision-makers sensitive to the source of uncertainty?

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  • Marielle BRUNETTE
  • Stéphane COUTURE
  • Kene BOUN MY

Abstract

Decisions under uncertainty are an integral part of the daily life of economic agents. However, if uncertainty bears on the probability, on the outcome, or on both, it may not be trivial. In this paper, we study how agents react to these di\u001Berent sources of uncertainty. For that purpose, we implemented a lab experiment with 209 students. We mainly show that the way the decision-makers behave when faced with di\u001Berent sources of uncertainty depends on the level of probability of winning a certain outcome. A majority of subjects thus prefers uncertainty to risk, regardless of the source, when the probability is low. For medium and high probability levels, most of the subjects prefers to face uncertainty on the outcome rather than uncertainty on the probability, whereas the opposite is true for low probability levels. Finally, we show that ambiguity preferences have a signi\u001Ccant e\u001Bect on the individual's behavior under all sources of uncertainty, whereas risk preferences play a role only when double uncertainty is at stake.

Suggested Citation

  • Marielle BRUNETTE & Stéphane COUTURE & Kene BOUN MY, 2024. "Are decision-makers sensitive to the source of uncertainty?," Working Papers of BETA 2024-15, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
  • Handle: RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2024-15
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sujoy Chakravarty & Jaideep Roy, 2009. "Recursive expected utility and the separation of attitudes towards risk and ambiguity: an experimental study," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 66(3), pages 199-228, March.
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    5. Kunreuther, Howard & Meszaros, Jacqueline & Hogarth, Robin M. & Spranca, Mark, 1995. "Ambiguity and underwriter decision processes," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 337-352, May.
    6. Trautmann, Stefan T. & Kuilen, Gijs van de, 2018. "Higher order risk attitudes: A review of experimental evidence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 108-124.
    7. Peter Klibanoff & Massimo Marinacci & Sujoy Mukerji, 2005. "A Smooth Model of Decision Making under Ambiguity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 73(6), pages 1849-1892, November.
    8. Schmeidler, David, 1989. "Subjective Probability and Expected Utility without Additivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 57(3), pages 571-587, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. My, Kene Boun & Brunette, Marielle & Couture, Stéphane & Van Driessche, Sarah, 2024. "Are ambiguity preferences aligned with risk preferences?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 111(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    risk; uncertainty; ambiguity; experiments.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty
    • D9 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics

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