[经济学]中级微观经济学课件第7章.pdf

Chapter Seven Revealed Preference 显现性偏好 What Is the Question of the Chapter? • Suppose we observe a collection of a consumer’s choices, can we discover his/her preference? • Is this possible at all? If so, under what conditions is this possible? (This is the reverse question of finding the optimal choice) Digression: Science vs. Engineering (对比科学家思维与工程师思维） • 找问题与解问题的不同 –要对问题提问题 • 务虚与务实的不同 • 解释世界与改造世界的不同 –旁观者与参与者的不同 Maintained Assumptions on Preferences • Preferences – do not change while the choice data are gathered. – are strictly convex. – are monotonic. Assumptions on Preferences x 2 If preferences are convex and monotonic (i.e. well-behaved) then the most preferred * x2 affordable bundle is unique. * x x 1 1 Direct Preference Revelation * • Suppose that the bundle x is chosen when the bundle y is affordable. Then x* is revealed directly as preferred to y (otherwise y would have been chosen). Direct Preference Revelation x 2 * The chosen bundle x is revealed directly as preferred to the bundles y and z. * x z y x 1 Direct Preference Revelation • That x is revealed directly as preferred to