WP 2010-07 Non-Linear Mixed Logit

Published in 2012 in Theory and Decision, Volume 73, Issue 1.

AUTHORS: Steffen Andersen, Glenn W. Harrison, Arne Risa Hole, Morten Lau, and E. Elisabet Rutström

ABSTRACT. We develop an extension of the familiar linear mixed logit model to allow for the direct estimation of parametric non-linear functions defined over structural parameters. Classic applications include the estimation of coefficients of utility functions to characterize risk attitudes and discounting functions to characterize impatience. There are several unexpected benefits of this extension, apart from the ability to directly estimate structural parameters of theoretical interest.