Afriat in the lab

Paul van Bruggen and Jan Heufer

Journal of Economic Theory, 2017, vol. 169, issue C, 546-550

Abstract: Varian (1988) showed that the utility maximization hypothesis cannot be falsified when only a subset of goods is observed. We show that this result does not hold under the assumptions that unobserved prices and expenditures remain constant. These assumptions are naturally satisfied in laboratory settings where the world outside the lab remains unchanged during the experiment. Hence for so-called induced budget experiments the Generalized Axiom of Revealed Preference is a necessary and sufficient condition for utility maximization in general, not just over lab goods. Lab experiments are therefore a valid tool to put the utility maximization hypothesis to the test.

Keywords: Afriat's Theorem; Experimental economics; GARP; Revealed preference; Utility maximization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C14 C91 D11 D12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jetheo:v:169:y:2017:i:c:p:546-550

DOI: 10.1016/j.jet.2017.03.007

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