Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/197200 
Year of Publication: 
2017
Citation: 
[Journal:] Theoretical Economics [ISSN:] 1555-7561 [Volume:] 12 [Issue:] 2 [Publisher:] The Econometric Society [Place:] New Haven, CT [Year:] 2017 [Pages:] 621-654
Publisher: 
The Econometric Society, New Haven, CT
Abstract: 
We show how information acquisition costs can be identified using observable choice data. Identifying information costs from behavior is especially relevant when these costs depend on factors-such as time, effort, and cognitive resources-that are difficult to observe directly, as in models of rational inattention. Using willingness-to-pay data for opportunity sets-which require more or less information to make choices-we establish a set of canonical properties that are necessary and sufficient to identify information costs. We also provide an axiomatic characterization of the induced rationally inattentive preferences and show how they reveal the amount of information a decision-maker acquires.
Subjects: 
Information costs
Blackwell order
information acquisition
menu choice
rational inattention
JEL: 
D81
D83
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by-nc Logo
Document Type: 
Article

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.