Open AccessSearch, choice, and revealed preference
Author(s) -
Caplin Andrew,
Dean Mark
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
theoretical economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.404
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1555-7561
pISSN - 1933-6837
DOI - 10.3982/te592
Subject(s) - preference , reservation , computer science , revealed preference , mathematical economics , linear search , economics , econometrics , microeconomics , algorithm , computer network
With complete information, choice of one option over another conveys preference. Yet when search is incomplete, this is not necessarily the case. It may instead reflect unawareness that a superior alternative was available. To separate these phenomena, we consider nonstandard data on the evolution of provisional choices with contemplation time. We characterize precisely when the resulting data could have been generated by a general form of sequential search. We characterize also search that terminates based on a reservation utility stopping rule. We outline an experimental design that captures provisional choices in the pre‐decision period.