We examine the risky choices of contestants in the popular TV game show "Deal or No Deal" and related classroom experiments. Contrary to the traditional view of expected utility theory, the choices can be explained in large part by previous outcomes experienced during the game. Risk aversion...

In a classroom choice experiment with mixed gambles and moderate probabilities, we find severe violations of cumulative prospect theory (CPT) and of Markowitz stochastic dominance. Our results shed new light on the exchange between Levy and Levy (2002) and Wakker (2003) in this journal.

Decision-makers show an increased risk appetite when they gamble with previously won money, the house money effect, and when they have a chance to make up for a prior loss, the break even effect. To explore the origins of these effects, we use functional magnetic resonance imaging to record the...