Rationality with preference discovery costs

Matthew Wilson

Theory and Decision, 2018, vol. 85, issue 2, No 6, 233-251

Abstract: Abstract Economic theory assumes that preferences are rational. However, experiments have found small violations of transitivity. This paper develops a model of rationality with preference discovery costs. Introspection is costly. Thus, agents may find it optimal to use less than full effort, even though this raises the risk of making a poor choice. This model could potentially explain the intransitivities observed in the data while retaining rationality and optimization.

Keywords: Rationality; Behavioral economics; Experimental economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11238-017-9628-6

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