Accession Number:

ADA048568

Title:

Experimental Tests of Indepencence Assumptions for Risky Multiattribute Preferences.

Descriptive Note:

Technical rept.,

Corporate Author:

DECISIONS AND DESIGNS INC MCLEAN VA

Personal Author(s):

• VON Winterfeldt,Detlof

Report Date:

1976-10-01

Pagination or Media Count:

106.0

Abstract:

The purpose of this experiment was to analyze models of human preferences in complex decision situations that are characterized by uncertainty and multiple attributes of outcomes. Four basic models for such risky multiattribute preferences were considered, among them the additive and multiplicative expected utility models. Independence assumptions that can test the descriptive validity of these models were formulated. The validity of the independence assumptions, including the marginality assumption and utility independence, was tested for subjects preferences among even chance gambles for commodity bundles containing gasoline and ground beef. Subjects matched gambles or commodity bundles against a standard and these matches were checked to see if the indifference held in various stimulus contexts as required by the independence assumptions. Effects of response modes, instructions, and personal preference characteristics were examined.

Descriptors:

• *DECISION MAKING
• *SOCIOMETRICS
• *SOCIAL SCIENCES
• PERFORMANCE TESTS
• ATTITUDES(PSYCHOLOGY)
• MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS
• MATRICES(MATHEMATICS)
• HABITS
• RISK ANALYSIS

Subject Categories:

• Sociology and Law
• Psychology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE