Are women expected to be more generous?

This paper analyzes if men and women are expected to behave differently regarding altruism. Since the dictator game provides the most suitable design for studying altruism and generosity in the lab setting, we use a modified version to study the beliefs involved in the game. Our results are substantial: men and women are expected to behave differently. Moreover, while women believe that women are more generous, men consider that women are as generous as men.

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Electronic Supplementary Material  The online version of this article () contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. We appreciate comments from Josemari Aizpurua, Shoshana Neuman and participants in seminars at Bar-Ilan University, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Univ. Publica Navarra. Tim Cason and one anonymous referee made substantial comments on the previous draft. Financial support from CICYT (SEJ2007-62081/ECON and SEJ2006-00959/SOCI) and FCEA (SOC2.05/43) is gratefully acknowledge. Martha Gaustad revised the English grammar.     

Predictions of short-term rates and the expectations hypothesis

This paper emphasizes that traditional tests of the EH are based on two assumptions: the expectations hypothesis (EH) per se and an assumption about the expectations generating process (EGP) for the short-term rate. Arguing that conventional tests of the EH need to assume EGPs that may be significantly at odds with the true EGP, we investigate this possibility by analyzing the out-of-sample predictive performances of several models for predicting interest rates, including a few models which assume that the EH holds in its functional form that relates long- to short-term yields. Using US riskless yield data for a 1970–2016 monthly sample and testing methods that take into account the parameter uncertainty, the null hypothesis of an equal predictive accuracy of each model relative to the random walk alternative is hardly ever rejected at intermediate and long horizons. This confirms that, at least at a practical level, the main difficulty with the EH is represented by the effective prediction of short-term rates. We discuss the relevance of these findings for central banks’ use of forward guidance.     

我国证券分析师预测代表市场预期的能力提高了吗?来自年报信息市场反应检验的证据

本文以集中发布了分析师行为规范的2005年为转折点,参考对比随机模型和管理层预测,在年报公布后的长窗口内检验分析师的盈利预测代表投资者盈利预期的能力是否有所提高。结果表明,在2005年之后,伴随着分析师预测准确度的提高,其代表市场预期的能力也有所提高,这从投资者认同的角度揭示了我国分析师行业的逐步规范和发展。本文的发现还表明,相对于管理层预测和随机模型的预测而言,分析师预测可能是更合适的市场预期替代变量。     

Examining the relationships among background variables and academic performance of first year accounting students at an Irish University

The study reported on in this paper examined the associations among prior academic achievement, prior knowledge of accounting, gender, motives, expectations and preparedness for higher education and academic performance in the first year of an accounting program at an Irish university. Data regarding the background variables were gathered using a questionnaire and examination marks were used to as measures of academic performance. Results indicate a significant association among prior academic achievement, prior knowledge of accounting, and students’ academic performance. Additionally, students’ confidence in their skills and abilities, perceptions regarding the role of university in career development, positive prior experiences of learning accounting, and a desire to experience intellectual growth are all significant variables in explaining variation in first year academic performance. Interestingly, the opportunity provided by university to broaden one’s horizons (motive) and a willingness to ask for help from lecturers (preparedness) were found to be negatively associated with performance.     

基于适应性预期的货币政策传导研究

适应性预期是中央银行货币政策预期管理的重要组成部分。本文以存准率调整作为货币政策的代表,构建了一个多维变量自治系统,通过高阶常系数非齐次线性微分方程极限解的技术方法,研究了基于适应性预期的货币政策的传导机理,并对其传导效果进行了实证检验。研究表明,以存准率调整为代表的货币政策在直接冲击货币供给曲线的同时,可以通过改变市场参与者的适应性预期,来引导市场变化与宏观经济发展;货币当局恰当地选择存准率调整的时机与力度,能够强化货币政策与实体经济的相关性,低成本地实现预期目标,并为将来的货币政策调整提供更宽松的运作空间。