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Econometrica Vol. 59 No. 2 1991

Observing Violations of Transitivity by Experimental Methods

Graham Loomes; Chris Starmer; Robert Sugden

Abstract

The preference reversal phenomenon is usually interpreted as evidence of nontransitivity of preference, but has also been explained as the result of the difference between individuals' responses to choice and valuation problems; the devices used by experimenters to elicit valuations; and the "random lottery selection" incentive system. This paper reports an experiment designed so that none of these factors could generate systematic nontransitivities; yet systematic violations of transitivity were still found. The pattern of violation was analogous with that found in previous preference reversal experiments and is consistent with regret theory.

DOI
10.2307/2938263
Volume
59
Issue
2
Pages
425
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib crossref openalex

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