Individual-level loss aversion in riskless and risky choices

• Published in: Theory and decision Vol. 92; no. 3-4; pp. 599 - 624
• Main Authors: Gächter, Simon, Johnson, Eric J., Herrmann, Andreas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.04.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavioral/Experimental Economics; Between-subjects design; College students; Customers; Decision making; Economic Theory/Quantitative Economics/Mathematical Methods; Economics; Economics and Finance; Endowment; Experiments; Finance; Game Theory; Heterogeneity; Individual differences; Insurance; Lotteries; Management; Operations Research/Decision Theory; Social and Behav. Sciences; Sociodemographics; Statistics for Business; Wealth; Lab-in-the-field experiments; Reference-dependent preferences; Endowment effect; Loss aversion
• ISSN: 0040-5833; 1573-7187
• DOI: 10.1007/s11238-021-09839-8

Loss aversion can occur in riskless and risky choices. We present novel evidence on both in a non-student sample (660 randomly selected customers of a car manufacturer). We measure loss aversion in riskless choice in endowment effect experiments within and between subjects and find similar levels of average loss aversion in both. The subjects of the within study also participate in a simple lottery choice task which arguably measures loss aversion in risky choices. We find substantial heterogeneity in both measures of loss aversion. Loss aversion in riskless choice and loss aversion in risky choice are strongly positively correlated, but on average riskless loss aversion is higher than risky loss aversion. We find that in both choice tasks, loss aversion increases in age, income, and wealth, and decreases in education. Our results provide novel supportive input to the debate about the reality of loss aversion.