research
Approximation bias in estimating risk aversion
- Publication date
- Publisher
Abstract
The asymmetric approximation originally employed by Pratt (1964) to construct reduced-form measures of risk aversion s a downward bias when used for empirical estimation. Calculations based on recent survey data indicate that estimates from a symmetric approximation are generally three times larger than their asymmetric counterparts, a finding that may help to explain the equity premium puzzle.