A Kinky Consistency: Experimental Evidence of Behavior under Linear and Nonlinear Budget Constraints

B-Tier
Journal: American Economic Journal: Microeconomics
Year: 2024
Volume: 16
Issue: 3
Pages: 424-58

Authors (3)

Emiliano Huet-Vaughn (not in RePEc) Ethan M. L. McClure (not in RePEc) Juan Carlos Suárez Serrato (Duke University)

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Individuals face nonlinear incentives in myriad situations. We test a fundamental assumption in such settings: that individuals display stable preferences when facing linear and nonlinear incentives. We use a laboratory experiment to characterize how revealed preferences are affected by changes in the budget set environment. Choices under kinked budgets exhibit the same very high levels of internally consistent behavior as they do under linear budgets. However, for about half the subjects, choices across settings are inconsistent with the maximization of a stable preference. Subjects displaying arbitrary consistency exhibit large and significant changes in utility parameters, risk premiums, and price elasticities across settings.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aejmic:v:16:y:2024:i:3:p:424-58
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-29