Prospect Theory as a Model of Risky Choice: Descriptive and Normative Assessments
October 16, 2017 - October 17, 2017
Hayfield Manor Hotel
ProgramGeneral Information
Prospect theory, as originally developed and subsequently refined by Kahneman and Tversky, is widely regarded as the most sophisticated theoretical achievement of behavioral economics. Its great importance, especially with respect to the concepts it introduced, is beyond serious dispute. However, like any major scientific model, it is vulnerable to being interpreted as dogma, as a statement of truth that can be used as an argument-stopper and as a basis for sweeping rejection of perspectives with which it is in tension. Empirical investigations of prospect theory, both in its original (1979) articulation and its ‘cumulative’ (1992) version that accommodates econometric identification and estimation, are equivocal in their results, certainly more interesting than straightforward ‘confirmation’ or ‘refutation’. Additionally, important questions about prospect theory’s completeness or adequacy as a descriptive theory of choice under risk and uncertainty spill over into problems of normative assessment, about welfare and well-being, raised by behavioral and experimental economics. At a time when more and more governments and companies are adopting policies and strategies based on their interpretations of results from behavioral economics, joint assessment of prospect theory’s descriptive and normative authority is directly relevant to management of institutional, political, environmental, and personal risk. In this workshop we will bring together economists and philosophers to critically review the empirical status of prospect theory, in both original and cumulative forms, along with the implications of this status for public, corporate and household policies.
Organizers
Glenn Harrison (CEAR, Georgia State University) and Don Ross (University College Cork, University of Cape Town, and CEAR) are the organizers of this workshop. Funding is being provided by CEAR. For more information on CEAR, see cear.gsu.edu. For more information on UCC, see ucc.ie/en/. Standard travel and accommodation support for paper presenters will be provided. Should you have any questions, please contact Professor Don Ross at [email protected] about the substance of the workshop, and contact Mark Schneider at [email protected] with questions about participation and logistics.
There will be meals provided throughout the conference. Please contact [email protected] should you have any dietary restrictions or special needs.
Dates & Times
Monday, October 16, 2017 - 08:45 to 18:00. Refreshments and lunch will be provided.
Monday, October 16, 2017 - 19:30 - Conference Dinner.
Tuesday, October 17, 2017 - 09:00 to 18:00. Refreshments and lunch will be provided.
Tuesday, October 17, 2017 - 18:15 to 21:00 - Dinner.
Contact Mark Schneider at [email protected] should you have any dietary restrictions or special needs.
Location
The workshop will be held in the conference room of the Hayfield Manor Hotel. The room is accessed via a stairwell on the first floor, just behind the front desk area. The hotel staff are aware of the event, and should be able to point you in the right direction if the room is not easily apparent.
Presenters will be accommodated at the Hayfield Manor Hotel, http://www.hayfieldmanor.ie, Cork’s 5-star hotel that embodies the ambient charm and historical depth of Ireland’s special culture.
Cork is the Irish Republic’s second city, European headquarters of Apple and other major companies, and famous for traditional artisanal foods, Murphy’s and Beamish stout ales, and historic architecture. http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/travel/hidden-gems-the-best-things-to-do-in-cork-332551.html
Lodging
We have booked a room at the Hayfield Manor Hotel for all of the presenters, checking in on 15 October and checking out on 18 October (unless otherwise discussed). These nights will be paid for in advance, so the only cost to you would be incidentals and any additional services you might need. If you require additional nights, please let us know, and we will coordinate with the hotel to try to accommodate as best as possible.
Travel
Cork Airport is directly served from various airports in the United Kingdom, plus Amsterdam, Paris, Munich, and Reykjavik. Iceland’s WOW airline connects Cork to various North American destinations via Reykjavik. All major airline hubs abroad are connected to Dublin Airport, from which Cork is reached in about 3 hours by overland shuttle.
For more information on how to get to UCC, see https://www.ucc.ie/en/about/visitors/getting-here/.
If one flies to either Dublin or Shannon with Aer Lingus, direct from the US, then on the return trip one clears US immigration in Ireland. KLM / Delta has direct flights from Amsterdam to Cork, but a more flexible schedule between Amsterdam and Dublin.