Some assert that it is impossible to test preference restrictions against revealed preference. The “goodness” preference restriction simply assumes that one value of a nonmarket good is preferred over another other with any fixed commodity consumption. This paper uses a preference-theoretic...

A preference-theoretic characterization of weak complementarity is provided based on an explicit representation of revealed preference. Weak complementarity is defined in terms of the observable property of nonessentiality and the unobservable property of no existence value. Preference-theoretic...

A methodology for nonmarket goods is presented based on preference algebra and set theory that allows us to specify exactly when preference assumptions such as weak complementarity can be tested against revealed preference information. Revealed preference is insufficient for welfare analysis...

It is widely reported in the literature that it is not possible to test nonmarket good preference restrictions against revealed preference. While it is clearly impossible to affirm any particular preference restriction as being “true,” it is possible to show that a preference restriction is...