Stochastic Monotonicity and Random Utility Models: The Good and The Ugly

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Autori principali: Keffert, Henk, Schweizer, Nikolaus
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2024
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author Keffert, Henk
Schweizer, Nikolaus
author_facet Keffert, Henk
Schweizer, Nikolaus
contents When it comes to structural estimation of risk preferences from data on choices, random utility models have long been one of the standard research tools in economics. A recent literature has challenged these models, pointing out some concerning monotonicity and, thus, identification problems. In this paper, we take a second look and point out that some of the criticism - while extremely valid - may have gone too far, demanding monotonicity of choice probabilities in decisions where it is not so clear whether it should be imposed. We introduce a new class of random utility models based on carefully constructed generalized risk premia which always satisfy our relaxed monotonicity criteria. Moreover, we show that some of the models used in applied research like the certainty-equivalent-based random utility model for CARA utility actually lie in this class of monotonic stochastic choice models. We conclude that not all random utility models are bad.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_00704
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Stochastic Monotonicity and Random Utility Models: The Good and The Ugly
Keffert, Henk
Schweizer, Nikolaus
General Economics
Economics
Methodology
When it comes to structural estimation of risk preferences from data on choices, random utility models have long been one of the standard research tools in economics. A recent literature has challenged these models, pointing out some concerning monotonicity and, thus, identification problems. In this paper, we take a second look and point out that some of the criticism - while extremely valid - may have gone too far, demanding monotonicity of choice probabilities in decisions where it is not so clear whether it should be imposed. We introduce a new class of random utility models based on carefully constructed generalized risk premia which always satisfy our relaxed monotonicity criteria. Moreover, we show that some of the models used in applied research like the certainty-equivalent-based random utility model for CARA utility actually lie in this class of monotonic stochastic choice models. We conclude that not all random utility models are bad.
title Stochastic Monotonicity and Random Utility Models: The Good and The Ugly
topic General Economics
Economics
Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.00704