A Field Study of Chinese Migrant Workers' Attitudes toward Risks, Strategic Uncertainty, and Competitiveness

Li Hao (), Daniel Houser, Lei Mao () and Marie Claire Villeval
Additional contact information
Li Hao: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Lei Mao: Central University of Finance and Economics

No 8227, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Using a field experiment in China, we study whether migration status is correlated with attitudes toward risk, ambiguity, and competitiveness. Our subjects include migrants and non-migrants. We find that, migrants exhibit no differences from non-migrants in risk and ambiguity preferences elicited using pairs of lotteries; however, migrants are significantly more likely to enter competition in the presence of strategic uncertainty when they expect competitive entries from others. Our results suggest that migration may be driven more by a stronger belief in one's ability to succeed in an uncertain and competitive environment than by risk attitudes under state uncertainty.

Keywords: strategic uncertainty; risk preferences; migration; ambiguity; field experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C93 D03 D63 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 47 pages
Date: 2014-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mig, nep-tra and nep-upt
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

Forthcoming - Revised version published in: Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 2016, 131, 126-140

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Related works:
Working Paper: A Field Study of Chinese Migrant Workers’ Attitudes toward Risks, Strategic Uncertainty, and Competitiveness (2014)
Working Paper: A Field Study of Chinese Migrant Workers' Attitudes Toward Risks, Strategic Uncertainty, and Competitiveness (2014)
Working Paper: A Field Study of Chinese Migrant Workers' Attitudes toward Risks, Strategic Uncertainty, and Competitiveness (2014)
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