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Article
Rationality of weather predictions and insurance purchases: testing the gambler’s and hot hand fallacies
Applied Economics (2019)
  • Mary K. Doidge, Ohio State University
  • Hongli Feng, Michigan State University
  • David A. Hennessy, Michigan State University
Abstract
Deviations from the rational behaviour assumed in many economic models have been found in a variety of settings. Two such deviations, the gambler’s and hot hand fallacies have been found in lab settings, as well as in consequential real-world decisions. Previous economic experiments have shown that the behaviour of professionals can differ from that of the general population. In this paper, we use data from two experiments conducted with a particular group of professionals who make yearly high-stakes decisions in the face of uncertain weather and market conditions: agricultural producers. In the experiments, participants were asked to make predictions about the coming year’s weather and market conditions and make decisions in a familiar decision context. Results indicate evidence of the gambler’s fallacy, such that participants were less likely to predict a good outcome if the previous outcome(s) were good. We also observed that participants were more likely to gamble if a previous gamble was successful, but find no impact of two successful gambles. These combined results indicate that even professionals with many years of experience can exhibit behaviours that deviate from those assumed by classical models.
Keywords
  • framed experiments,
  • gambler’s fallacy,
  • hot hand fallacy,
  • rational behavior
Publication Date
2019
DOI
10.1080/00036846.2019.1581913
Publisher Statement
This is a manuscript of an article published as Doidge, Mary, Hongli Feng, and David A. Hennessy. "Rationality of weather predictions and insurance purchases: Testing the gambler’s and hot hand fallacies." Applied Economics 51, no. 32 (2019): 3498-3515. doi:10.1080/00036846.2019.1581913. Posted with permissio.

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Citation Information
Mary K. Doidge, Hongli Feng and David A. Hennessy. "Rationality of weather predictions and insurance purchases: testing the gambler’s and hot hand fallacies" Applied Economics Vol. 51 Iss. 32 (2019) p. 3498 - 3515
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/hongli-hennessy/68/