Economic Choice Theory
An Experimental Analysis of Animal Behavior
Published on 27. January 1995
Book
Hardback
248 pages
978-0-521-45488-9 (ISBN)
Description
This book details the results of the authors' research using laboratory animals to investigate individual choice theory in economics-consumer-demand and labour supply behaviour and choice under uncertainty. The use of laboratory animals provides the opportunity to conduct controlled experiments involving precise and demanding tests of economic theory with rewards and punishments of real consequence. Economic models are compared to psychological and biological choice models along with the results of experiments testing between these competing explanations. Results of animal experiments are used to address questions of social policy importance.
Reviews / Votes
"This is a fscinating book. In it the authors report the results of years of research testing the basic propositions of economic theory on animals, primarily rats and pigeons....Who should read this book? As indicated previously it can be read profitably by students in introductory courses. Any economist willing to consider truly original and creative applications of economic theory and experimental methodology should be intrigued by this book....one cannot help but marvel at the ability of a theory which was developed by introspective consideration of how we make choices to explain complicated behavior of other species." David Grether, Journal of Economic LiteratureMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Illustrations
28 Tables, unspecified; 39 Halftones, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
559 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-45488-9 (9780521454889)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Content
Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Commodity-choice behaviour I: some initial tests of the theory; 3. Commodity-choice behaviour II: tests of competing motivational processes and the representative consumer hypothesis; 4. Labour-supply behaviour I: initial tests of the theory with some public policy implications; 5. Labour-supply behaviour II: tests of competing motivational processes and earnings distributions for animal workers; 6. Choices over uncertain outcomes; 7. Intertemporal choice; 8. Summing up; Bibliography; Index.