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Transitivity in health utility measurement: An experimental analysis

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  • Schmidt, Ulrich
  • Stolpe, Michael

Abstract

Several experimental studies observed substantial violations of transitivity in decisions between risky lotteries over monetary outcomes. The goal of our experiment is to test whether these violations also affect the evaluation of health states. A particular feature of our experimental design is that it takes into account the possible role of decision errors in generating violations of transitivity. Since we find neither substantial nor systematic deviations from transitive choice behaviour, we can conclude that previously reported violations do not seem to bias health utility measurement.

Suggested Citation

  • Schmidt, Ulrich & Stolpe, Michael, 2008. "Transitivity in health utility measurement: An experimental analysis," Kiel Working Papers 1412, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifwkwp:1412
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Steven Humphrey, 2001. "Non‐transitive Choice: Event‐Splitting Effects or Framing Effects?," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 68(269), pages 77-96, February.
    2. Han Bleichrodt & Jose Luis Pinto-Prades, 2007. "A new preference reversal in health utility measurement," Economic Working Papers at Centro de Estudios Andaluces E2007/15, Centro de Estudios Andaluces.
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    6. Loomes, Graham & Starmer, Chris & Sugden, Robert, 1989. "Preference Reversal: Information-Processing Effect or Rational Non-transitive Choice?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 99(395), pages 140-151, Supplemen.
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    8. Loomes, Graham & Taylor, Caron, 1992. "Non-transitive Preferences over Gains and Losses," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 102(411), pages 357-365, March.
    9. Iverson, G. & Falmagne, J. -C., 1985. "Statistical issues in measurement," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 131-153, October.
    10. Michael Birnbaum & Ulrich Schmidt, 2008. "An experimental investigation of violations of transitivity in choice under uncertainty," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 77-91, August.
    11. Chris Starmer, 1999. "Cycling with Rules of Thumb: An Experimental Test for a new form of Non-Transitive Behaviour," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 139-157, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Carlos Alós-Ferrer & Ernst Fehr & Michele Garagnani, 2022. "Identifying nontransitive preferences," ECON - Working Papers 415, Department of Economics - University of Zurich, revised Jan 2023.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Health utility; Errors; Transitivity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General

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