1 / 5

Attitude toward risk

Attitude toward risk. Problem : Costello likes to ride his bike to school. If it is raining when he gets up, he can take the bus. If it isn’t, he can ride, but runs the risk of it raining on the way home. Value of riding bike = $2, value of taking bus = -$1.

zion
Download Presentation

Attitude toward risk

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Attitude toward risk • Problem: Costello likes to ride his bike to school. If it is raining when he gets up, he can take the bus. If it isn’t, he can ride, but runs the risk of it raining on the way home. • Value of riding bike = $2, value of taking bus = -$1. • Value of riding in rain = -$6.

  2. Costello’s options & the “states of nature” • Costello can either ride his bike or take the bus. • Bus: He loses $1 each way: -$2 • Bike: Depends on the “state of nature” • Rain: $2 - $6 = -$4. • No rain: $2 + $2 = $4.

  3. Which does he prefer? • If Costello takes the bus, he knows he’ll lose $2. • If Costello rides his bike: • If it rains, he loses $4. • If it doesn’t rain, he gains $4. • Whether he is better taking the bike or bus depends on 2 things: • The probability of rain • His attitude toward risk

  4. The probability of rain • Suppose Pr(rain) = .5……Pr(no rain) = .5 • Bus: -$2 • Bike: .5(4) - .5(-4) = $0 • If he is risk neutral, he takes his bike ($0 > $-2) • Suppose Pr(rain) = .8….Pr(no rain) = .2 • Bus: -$2 • Bike: .2(4) + .8(-4) = -$2.40 • If he is risk neutral, he rides the bus (-2 > -2.40)

  5. Risk more generally Q: Would this person rather get 15 for sure or 10 w.p. 0.5, and 20 w.p. 0.5? Utility U(15) This person is RISK AVERSE .5*U(10) + .5*U(20) 15 10 20 Some good (or $)

More Related