The Experimental Study of Asset Pricing Theory

75 Pages Posted: 15 Jun 2010

Date Written: June 14, 2010

Abstract

This article sets the stage for experiments by first examining a sample data set that looks very much like the typical historical data one gathers from the field, only it was actually generated in the laboratory so that we know what really went on. The example demonstrates how misleading the traditional analysis can be. It then moves on to discuss risk aversion, since asset pricing theory builds on risk aversion. The issue is - is there enough risk aversion in the laboratory given typical levels of compensation? Asset pricing theory also builds on competitive markets and competitive equilibrium, but these are actually purely abstract notions, without any suggestion of how to generate them in practice. The article builds on the path-breaking experimental work of Vernon Smith and Charles Plott who demonstrated that certain trading institutions indeed allow us to bring about competitive markets and competitive equilibrium. The author presents the main findings - first concerning simple static asset pricing models, moving on to dynamic pricing theory, and the implications of ambiguity aversion. Asset pricing theory rarely discusses how markets reach equilibrium, but experiments shed new light on price behavior during equilibration, as well as on off- equilibrium allocation dynamics. The article also examines information aggregation and competitive markets for loan and insurance contracts, where adverse selection may preclude equilibration, and even when not, the resulting allocations may be Pareto sub-optimal.

Keywords: asset pricing theory, experimental economics, competitive equilibrium, risk aversion

Suggested Citation

Bossaerts, Peter L., The Experimental Study of Asset Pricing Theory (June 14, 2010). Foundations and Trends in Finance, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 289-361, 2009, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1624971

Peter L. Bossaerts (Contact Author)

University of Cambridge ( email )

Faculty of Economics
Cambridge, CB3 9DD
United Kingdom

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