Measurement Error Random Utility Model

[jreh...@gmail.com]

Hi all, 

I'm happy to share a new paper with conditions for the random utility model when there are measurement errors on probabilities with Roy Allen, Changkuk Im, and Woohun Sun. 

We find a simple relaxation of the Axiom of Revealed Stochastic Preference accounts for measurement error. The main distinction is you need to track when measurement error is an upper or lower-bound on the choice probability. 

As always comments are welcome.

Thanks,

John Rehbeck

[Ran Spiegler]

Hi everyone,

Kfir Eliaz and I have a new, short paper titled "Whataboutism", which might be of interest to members of this forum.

Abstract: We propose a model of whataboutism - a rhetorical strategy that deflects criticism by citing similar misconduct that goes uncriticized on the critic's side - and study its implications for social norms governing offensive speech. In an infinite-horizon psychological game with two rival camps, agents weigh the intrinsic benefit of offensive speech against the risk of condemnation. External criticism can be deflected via an equilibrium-based whataboutism rebuttal. We characterize the unique dynamically stable Psychological Subgame Perfect Equilibrium and show that the availability of whataboutism exacerbates offensive speech, to the extent that civility norms can break down entirely, especially in polarized societies.

Link to paper: https://www.ranspiegler.sites.tau.ac.il/_files/ugd/4871e3_3f6015dca86440f6976e47027b6eb3cf.pdf

Thank you,

Rani

Ran Spiegler

School of Economics, Tel Aviv University

&

Department of Economics, University College London

URL: https://www.ranspiegler.sites.tau.ac.il/ 

New book: The Curious Culture of Economic Theory (MIT Press)

Social media book pages: X @rani_spiegler, Bluesky @rani-spiegler.bsky.social