In this article, the contextual discounting of a belief function, a classical discounting generalization, is extended and its particular link with the canonical disjunctive decomposition is highlighted. A general family of correction mechanisms allowing one to weaken the information provided by a source is then introduced, as well as the dual of this family allowing one to strengthen a belief f...

We weaken the implicit assumption of rational choice theory that imposes that preferences do not depend on the choice set. We concentrate on the cases where the preferences change monotonically when the choice set expands. We show that rationalizability is then equivalent to state the usual strong axiom of revealed preferences to the binary relation of "revealed reversals of preferences".

Political stock markets (PSM) are sometimes seen as substitutes for opinion polls. On the bases of a behavioral model, specific preconditions were drawn out under which manipulation in PSM can weaken this argument. Evidence for manipulation is reported from the data of two separate PSM during the Berlin 99 state elections. JEL Classification: C93, D4, G1

Extending Farrell and Saloner (1985), this article analyzes the timing issues and the intensity of the inertia effect in a technology adoption process. We focus on the interplay of network externality and informational spillovers and show that information revelation, playing both backward and forward, can strengthen or weaken the excess inertia.