First order versus second order risk aversion

Uzi Segal, Avia Spivak

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

213 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper defines a new concept of attitude towards risk. For an actuarially fair random variable ε{lunate}, π(t) is the risk premium the decisionmaker is willing to pay to avoid tε{lunate}. In expected utility, and as it turns out, in the case of smooth Freéchet differentiability of the representation functional, π′(0) = 0. There are models (e.g., rank dependent probabilities) in which ∂π ∂t|t=0+ ≠ 0. We call the latter attitude as being of order 1, and we call the first one attitude of order 2. These concepts are then applied to analyze the problem of full insurance.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)111-125
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Economic Theory
Volume51
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 1990

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Economics and Econometrics

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