In this paper we analyze how the traditional life and pension contracts with a guaranteed rate of return can be optimized to increase customers’ welfare. Given that the contracts have to be priced correctly, we use individuals’ preferences to find the preferred design. Assuming CRRA utility,...

We study a very general setting, and propose a procedure for estimating the critical values of the extended Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests of First and Second Order Stochastic Dominance due to McFadden (1989) in the general k-prospect case. We allow for the observations to be generally serially...

Deviations from normality in financial return series have led to the development of alternative portfolio selection models. One such model is the downside risk model, whereby the investor maximizes his return given a downside risk constraint. In this paper we empirically observe the...

This research examines capital income taxation for a loss averse investor under some acceptable in the literature reference levels relative to which are the changes in the level of wealth valued. Depending on the reference level, some results indicate that it could be possible for a capital...

Our article firstly examines to what extent empirical research confirms the model of decision making based on a stable utility function. To this end, we have summarised the fundamental theoretical correlations relating to risk appetite, then went on to present the main results of behavioural...

I derive indifference curves in mean-standard deviation space for investors with prospect theory preferences when returns are normally distributed. The normality assumption creates a mapping between model parameters and the investment opportunity set. The model is then calibrated to historical...

This paper tests the ex ante implications of Frydman and Goldberg's Imperfect Knowledge Economics (IKE) gap model in such a way as to overcome the endogeneity bias and data restrictions of previous work. The IKE gap model relates the expected excess return (measured here through survey data for...

We build a general equilibrium model to examine the implications of prospect theory for the disposition effect, asset prices, and trading volume. Diminishing sensitivity predicts a disposition effect, price momentum, a reduced return volatility, and a positive return-volume correlation. Loss...

This paper concerns the distributional assumptions made on stock returns in the myopic loss aversion (MLA) proposed explanation to the equity premium puzzle. While Benartzi and Thaler (1995) assume temporal independence in these returns, we introduce a more realistic assumption incorporating...

We examined prospect theory and reference point adaptation following gains or losses using participants from China, Korea, and the US. Supporting prospect theory, we found in Studies 1 and 2 that subjects from all three countries generally exhibited loss aversion and a greater propensity for...