Abstract:
Two non-expected-utility-theory approaches to model decision making under risk are regret theory (Loomes and Sugden, 1982; Bell, 1982) and salience theory (Bordalo, Gennaioli, and Shleifer, 2012). While the psychological underpinning of these two approaches is different, the models share the assumption that within-state comparisons of outcomes across choice options are a key determinant of choice behavior. We investigate the overlap between the two theories and show that salience theory is a special case of regret theory. Moreover, we trace out the relationship be- tween diminishing sensitivity of the salience function and concavity of the choiceless utility function with regard to behavioral implications.