Harinder Singh

Government Coercion of Dissidents Deterrence or Provocation

The dynamic effect of government coercion on dissident activities has been a controversial issue. It is contended that this relationship is significantly altered when different control variables such as regime type, ideological orientation, and economic performance are employed. Time series data based on 24 countries is used to estimate the net effect of government coercion on two types of dissident activities: protest demonstrations and deaths from domestic group violence. It is shown that in democratic nations, government sanctions provoke a higher level of protest demonstrations. However, in nondemocratic countries, at the extreme, severe sanctions can impose an unbearable cost, resulting in an inverse relationship between sanctions and political deaths. The nature of the regime influences not only the dynamics of the relationship between government coercion and dissident activities, but also the qualitative character of opposition response.

The Impact of Natural Hazards on Housing Values: The Loma Prieta Earthquake

A large, detailed data set is used to examine the effect of the Loma Prieta (World Series) earthquake on housing prices in the San Francisco Bay area. This relationship is examined while controlling for potential confounding variables, such as location-specific risk and the timing of the earthquake. The results indicate that the Loma Prieta earthquake caused an area wide reduction in property values. In addition, it seems that individuals considered other measures of earthquake risk in their housing purchases, yielding a measurable price gradient. These results are relatively robust, remaining stable across estimated functional forms and independent variable sets. Copyright American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.

The disparity between willingness to pay and compensation demanded: Another look at laboratory evidence

Abstract The existence of a disparity between willingness to pay and compensation demanded is tested in three controlled experiments. The results indicate a modest initial disparity which is reduced in a learning environment.

Investigating the compatibility of econometric forecasts and subjective expectations: A suggested framework

Abstract The precise nature of expectations formation plays a pivotal role in economics. However, economists have generally relied on econometric forecasts as proxies for the underlying expectations process without adequate verification. This study suggests that Brunswiks Lens Model can be meaningfully utilized to analyze the correspondence between econometric forecasts and subjective expectations. The normative and descriptive aspects of expectations formation can be distinguished. More importantly, the similarity between ex ante subjective expectations and ex post realizations can be analytically broken down into specific components representing knowledge, response consistency and task uncertainty. The proposed model is estimated with Livingstons price survey data. The results indicate that lower achievement is attributable not to lower knowledge or response consistency but rather to relatively greater unpredictability in the statistical environment.

On-the-job leisure-income tradeoffs: A test of rational behavior

Abstract The assumption that workers can optimally equate on-the-job leisure with income (piece-rate production) is tested by utilizing individual production data based on a multi-layered bonus scheme. The results support the notion that workers are able to calibrate their effort-production levels appropriately, given the specific bonus incentive structure.

An alternative proxy for expectations: some experimental evidence

Abstract Traditionally, econometric forecasts or subjective estimates are employed as proxies for the expectations process. This paper suggests an alternative proxy: modeled subjective estimates, which may combine the twin advantages of (1) the stability and reliability of a model, and (2) being close to the psychological process of decision making. The statistical condition when modeled subjective estimates outperform subjective estimates is tested in an experimental setting. The results reveal that in a majority of cases, modeled subjective estimates marginally outperform subjective estimates.