Some Papers by Edward Morey
*Unless otherwise specified, the papers available online are in .pdf format and can be read with the Adobe Acrobat Reader
The list of available papers will keep growing, so keep checking. Any comments on any of the papers would be greatly appreciated. You can email comments in Word, Scientific Word, Latex, and pdf, or send a hard copy by mail. Thanks.
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The data for many of these papers can be found at datasets.
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life: like what you want, and want what you will like
Edward Morey
comments hoped for
Abstract
Edward Morey, Nov. 6 2020
This replaces, "A reason to worry about non-market valuation: WB-incommensurability: Can you compare your relief from less global warming with more anxiety at work? The loss of a friendship? Or even the pleasure of chocolate cake?
Abstract: The neoclassical choice-theory that supports the monetary valuation of environmental resources assumes you have a complete ordering of bundles in terms of well-being, WB. But there are different kinds of WB (and ill-being): pleasurable and unpleasant sensations, and positive and negative thoughts and emotions. So, the existence of a complete ordering based on a monotonic index of the different kinds of WB (e.g. “utility”) requires that all the different kinds of WB (and ill-being) are WB-commensurable (you can, e.g., compare the pleasures of chocolate with global-warming angst). But many/most people, including ecological economists, don’t believe the kinds of WB produced by environmental amenities are all WB-commensurable with those produced by other goods and amenities. I show that, if they are correct, a compensating variation, CV, for an environmental policy often does not exist: it is a meaningless construct. Then, arguments and findings for and against complete WB-commensurability are presented in the context of the environment.
Keywords: compensating variation (CV), valuation, well-being (WB) and bearers-of-WB, WB-incomparable and WB-incommensurable, WB/bearer separability, neuroeconomics, and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex
Can economici choose? Can homo sapiens?
Edward Morey, April 19.2020
This replaces, "What is a choice? Choice or the illusion of choice? Should we care?"
Abstract: While the neoclassical theory of behavior is called choice theory, the behavior of an economicus (an entity that adheres to the assumptions) is out of its control: its ranking of bundles and which are feasible are both exogenous, so is the rule that it must experience its highest-ranked feasible bundle. Neoclassical behavior theory (NBT) would be a more appropriate name. An economicus has only feeble free-will, and its behavior is deterministic in a more restrictive manner than philosophers’ sense of determinism. Advocates of neoclassical choice theory (NCT) are a subspecies of compatibilists: behavior is “compatible” with free will, but it’s weak. Humans also live in a deterministic world (with some randomness?), unless you believe in dualism, so only have feeble free-will, no more than worms and mollusks. But! Humans have choosing experiences (cogitating about A vs. B, and deciding on B) and then experiencing B. Isn’t that choosing? No! Mounting evidence in psychology and neuroscience indicates that what humans do (how we behave) is determined by an unconscious processes, and the choosing experience doesn’t determine what we select.
Comments hoped for
Edward Morey and Jennifer Thacher
From travel-cost models to moral philosophy, September 25, 2009
Edward Morey
Discreet choice models and discrete-choice models: the hyphen is a short dash to clarity, March 13, 2006
Edward Morey
"For an extra-marital affair (as compared to an extra marital affair), one might want to consider a discreet choice model; since choice, they must be either beautiful or
handsome, there is the cachet of sex with a model, and they won't tell your spouse. In contrast, if you prefer to spend your time modeling discrete choices, ......."
Ax murdering and wash your hands after using the toilet: a contrite/confused economist, March 2004.
If you would like to post a comment on this paper, or a comment or a comment, please send them in an email. To see the posted comments go to comments on ax murdering.
Some of the classic readings on externality theory can be found on my externality literature web page
Published papers available online
Economist’
Welfare economics
Edward R. Morey
Encyclopedia of Business and Professional Ethics. Springer
forthcoming 2021
When choosing where to recreate, personality is key
Colorado Art and Science Magazine: March 5, 2018 • By Clay Evans
Economist’s work is challenging traditional recreational choice theory by suggesting that who one recreates with is an important determinant of where one recreates.
What are the ethics of welfare economics? And, are welfare economists utilitarians?
Edward R. Morey
International Review of Economics, April 13, 2018
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12232-018-0294-y
Abstract: Four questions: (1) What is welfare economics? (2) Is it an ethical system? (3) How do welfare economists differ from one another? And (4), how do they differ from other economic ethicists? Then utilitarianism is discussed. I was taught, and have inferred to others, that welfare economists are utilitarians. They are not. Welfare economics is an atypical form of welfare consequentialism: consequentialist in that whether an act or policy is right or wrong is a function of only its consequencesthe adjective “welfare” because the only consequences that matter are the welfare (well-faring) consequences. Most welfare consequentialists are neither welfare economists nor utilitarians. And, most moral philosophers are not welfarel consequentialistsneither are most normal folk.
Keywords welfare economics, utilitarianism (Benthamite, act, rule, and preference) ,·welfare consequentialism (WC) , well-being (WB), emotional WB, life-satisfaction WB, preferences, interests, Impartiality, fairness, justice, loyalty, holiness, · Jeremy Bentham, John Harsanyi, Peter Singer
Can your personality explain where and with whom you recreate? A latent-class site-choice model informed by estimates from a mixed-mode LC cluster model with latent-personality traits, Ecological Economics 138 (2017) 223-237.
Edward Morey and Mara Thiene
keywords: latent traits, personality, sensation seeking, extroversion, competitiveness, mixed-model latent-class cluster model, ordinal, nominal and cardinal indicators, latent-class choice model
additional tables not in the paper
Abstract: We test and find that personality traits interact with site characteristics and the ability of a potential companion to determine where, and with whom you recreate. 4605 mountain bikers chose between multiple pairs of hypothetical mountain-bike rides, and, in addition, answered Likert-scale questions on sensationseeking,competitiveness and extroversion. For each personality trait, a mixed-mode latent-class cluster model was estimated, accounting for that fact that the indicators can have ordinal, cardinal or nominal meaning. Most LC models ignore these distinctions. Our model also allows the scores on questions to be correlated, even after conditioning on class (typically assumed away). Then, a latent-class choice model of trail attributes and companion’s ability was estimated using the choice-pair data, with the estimated latent personality-traits as covariates. Three choice classes are identified and the odds of being in each varies by personality: estimated choice probabilities and WTP estimates vary significantly and substantially by class and personality type.
On the adequacy of scope test results, Ecological Economics 130 (Oct 2016): 356-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.05.022
D.J. Chapman, R.C. Bishop, W.M. Hanemann, B.J. Kanninen, J.A. Krosnick, E.R. Morey and R. Tourangeau
Abstract: Desrvousges et al. (2012) investigate criteria for judging the adequacy of scope test differences in contingent valuation studies. They focus particular attention on our study (Chapman et al. 2009), arguing that, while it demonstrated a statistically significant scope effect, the effect is too small. Unfortunately, DMT misinterpreted Chapman et al., an error that makes DMT's criticisms of our study invalid.
It's not where you do it, it's who you do it with? Journal of Choice Modeling 5(2012) 176-191.
Edward Morey and David Kritzberg
Edward Morey and Mara Thiene
Ecological Economics 74 (2012) 130-144
Bill Breffle, Edward Morey, Jennifer Thacher
Environmental and Resource Economics, Vol. 50(1). 83-110, 2011.
data and programs available at http://www.colorado.edu/economics/morey/dataset.html
Edward Morey, Mara Thiene, Maria De Salvo and Giovanni Signorello
Ecological Economics, Vol. 68(1-2), 536-546, December 2008.
Patient preferences for depression treatment programs and willingness to pay for treatment
Edward R. Morey, Jennifer A. Thacher, and W. Edward Craighead
The Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics 10, 87-99, 2007
Calculating, with income effects, the compensating variation for a state change
Jennifer Thacher, Edward Morey and Edward Craighead
Depression and Anxiety Vol. 21(2): 47-54, 2005
Edward Morey and B. Breffle
American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol. 88 (1): 150-161, 2006
Edward Morey, Jennifer Thacher, and B. Breffle
Environmental and Resource Economics, Vol 34(1), 91-115, May 2006
data and programs available soon
See also A Discussion of “Using Angler Characteristics and Attitudinal Data to Identify Environmental Preference Classes: A Latent-Class Model”, Provencher and Moore, Environmental and Resource Economics, Vol 34(1), 117-124, May 2006
Gaussian Quadrature versus Simulation for the Estimation of Random Parameters: Some Evidence from Stated Preference Recreational Choice Data, August 30, 2004
William Breffle, Edward R. Morey, Robert D. Rowe, and Donald M. Waldman
The Handbook of Contingent Valuation (J. Kahn and A. Alberini, Eds.), Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. ISBN13 978 1 84064 208 7. March 2006.
Edward R. Morey, W.S. Breffle, R.D. Rowe and D. Waldman
Journal of Environmental Management 66(2), 159-170. Reprinted in The New Economics Of Outdoor Recreation (N. Hanley, Douglass Shaw and R. Wright, Eds.), Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. 2003.
Environmental Policy when Market Structure and Plant Locations Are Endogenous
James R. Markusen, Edward R. Morey, Nancy D. Olewiler
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Vol. 24, No. 1,
Jan 1993, pp. 69-86 (available online at www.idealibrary.com)
Oil characteristics and the U.S. demand for foreign crude by region of origin
The U.S. demand for foreign crude: a translog approach
The Demand for Site-Specific Recreational Activities: A Characteristics Approach
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Vol. 8 (No. 4), December 1981, 245-271.
Fishery Economics: An Introduction and Review
Natural Resources Journal, Vol. 20 (No. 4), October 1980, 827-851.
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