Bidding Behavior given Point and Interval Values in a Second-price Auction

Prasenjit Banerjee, Jason F. Shogren

Research output: Preprint/Working paperWorking paper

Abstract

Although rational choice theory presumes people have a point estimate of their willingness to pay (WTP) for a good or service, the idea of coherent arbitrariness suggests they have an interval of values. Herein we explore bidding behavior in a second-price auction in which bidders have point or interval values and point or interval bidding. We find bidders bid rationally: (i) when bidders have a point value but are asked to state an interval bid, they choose to bid as an interval with the point value as the mean of the interval; (ii) bidders who had a value interval but are asked to bid as a point estimate bid the expected value from the interval; and (iii) bidders with an interval value and who bid an interval again bid sincerely.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages57
Publication statusPublished - 9 May 2013

Publication series

NameInternational Workshop on Mechanism Design and the Environment
PublisherUniversity of Manchester
No.EDP-1310

Keywords

  • second price auction, bidding behavior, preference elicitation, interval values

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