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Contribution Details

Type Journal Article
Scope Discipline-based scholarship
Title Stochastic expected utility theory
Organization Unit
Authors
  • Pavlo R Blavatskyy
Item Subtype Original Work
Refereed Yes
Status Published in final form
Language
  • English
Journal Title Journal of Risk and Uncertainty
Publisher Springer
Geographical Reach international
ISSN 0895-5646
Volume 34
Number 3
Page Range 259 - 286
Date 2007
Abstract Text A new decision theory is proposed to explain the violations of expected utility theory through the role of random errors. The main premise of the new theory is that individuals make random errors when they compute the expected utility of a risky lottery. When being distorted by error, the expected utility of a lottery should neither exceed the utility of the highest possible outcome nor fall below the utility of the lowest possible outcome. This crucial assumption implies that the expected utility of a lottery is likely to be overvalued (undervalued) by random errors, when it is close to the utility of the lowest (highest) possible outcome. The new theory explains many stylized empirical facts such as the fourfold pattern of risk attitudes, the common consequence effect (Allais paradox), the common ratio effect and violations of betweenness. The model fits the data from ten well-known experimental studies at least as well as cumulative prospect theory.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1007/s11166-007-9009-6
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Additional Information The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com