The first two chapters of this dissertation investigate the connection between the rich theoretical environment of first price auctions and the patterns of behavior in such resulting from specific treatments in the form of social comparison feedback. In the first chapter we find that behavioral treatments we designed can be used to increase charity auction revenue. In the second chapter we find that subjects do want to compare themselves to other subjects when it is costless, though not always, and that subjects are sometimes willing to pay for the ability to compare themselves to other subjects. The third of this dissertation is an introduction to the notable research into choice in the presence of risk to date. The fourth chapter of this dissertation is a theoretical and experimental evaluation of the current state-of-the-art models of choice in the presence of risk. We find that half of our experimental subjects behave as though they have either constant relative or constant absolute risk aversion and that the behavior of nearly all subjects can be explained by a non-expected utility theory. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Economics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 7, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references. / Svetlana Pevnitskaya, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jens Grosser, University Representative; Paul Beaumont, Committee Member; R. Mark (Robert Mark) Isaac, 1954-, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_253062 |
| Contributors | White, Robert A. (authoraut), Pevnitskaya, Svetlana A. (professor directing dissertation), Großer, Jens Willi (university representative), Beaumont, Paul M (committee member), Isaac, R. Mark (Robert Mark), 1954- (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (degree granting college), Department of Economics (degree granting department) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource (255 pages), computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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