An Experimental Study of Precautionary Bidding

Martin Kocher, Julius Pahlke and Stefan Trautmann

VfS Annual Conference 2013 (Duesseldorf): Competition Policy and Regulation in a Global Economic Order from Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association

Abstract: Auctions often involve goods exhibiting a common knowledge ex-post risk. Precautionary bidding predicts that under expected utility, ex-post risk leads DARA bidders to reduce their bids by more than the appropriate risk premium. Because the degree of riskiness of the good, and bidders risk aversion, are difficult to observe in field settings, we conduct experimental auctions that allow to identify the precautionary premium directly. We find strong evidence for precautionary bidding, and bidders are better off when a risky object rather than an equally valued sure object is auctioned. The results are robust when controlling for potentially confounding decision biases. The current study provides the first empirical demonstration of precautionary motives in strategic settings.

JEL-codes: C91 D44 D81 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Related works:
Journal Article: An experimental study of precautionary bidding (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:vfsc13:79690

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