| By: |
Li Hao (Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville);
Daniel Houser (Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science and Department of Economics, George Mason University);
Lei Mao (Groupe d’Analyse et de Théorie Economique, UniversiteÌ de Lyon);
Marie Claire Villeval (Groupe d’Analyse et de Théorie Economique, UniversiteÌ de Lyon) |
| Abstract: |
Using a field experiment in China, we study whether migration status is
correlated with attitudes toward risk, ambiguity, and competitiveness. Our
subjects include migrants and non-migrants. We find that, migrants exhibit no
differences from non-migrants in risk and ambiguity preferences elicited using
pairs of lotteries; however, migrants are significantly more likely to enter
competition in the presence of strategic uncertainty when they expect
competitive entries from others. Our results suggest that migration may be
driven more by a stronger belief in one’s ability to succeed in an uncertain
and competitive environment than by risk attitudes under state uncertainty.
Length: 46 |
| Keywords: |
migration, risk preferences, strategic uncertainty, ambiguity, field experiment |
| JEL: |
C93 D03 D63 J61 |
| Date: |
2014–04 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gms:wpaper:1047&r=cna |