Skip to main content
Log in

The uniqueness of local proper scoring rules: the logarithmic family

  • Published:
Theory and Decision Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Local proper scoring rules provide convenient tools for measuring subjective probabilities. Savage (J Am Stat Assoc 66(336), 783–801, 1971) has shown that the only local proper scoring rule for more than two exclusive events is the logarithmic family. We generalize Savage (1971) by relaxing the properness and the domain, and provide simpler proof.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Generally speaking, when requiring only weak properness, we give up the one-to-one relation between types and scores of Myerson (1982)’s and Johnson et al. (1990)’s truth revelation. Yet, under this weak condition, people still have no incentive to misrepresent. Thus, they may still be truth telling.

References

  • Abdellaoui, M., Bleichrodt, H., Kemel, E., L’Haridon, O. (2017). Measuring beliefs under ambiguity. Working Paper.

  • Aczél, J., & Pfanzagl, J. (1967). Remarks on the measurement of subjective probability and information. Metrika, 11(1), 91–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernardo, J. M. (1979). Expected information as expected utility. Annals of Statistics, 7(3), 686–690.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giles, J. (2002). Scientific wagers: Wanna bet? Nature, 420(6914), 354–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, D. G., & Rothschild, D. (2014). Lay understanding of probability distributions. Judgment & Decision Making, 9(1), 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hollard, G., Massoni, S., & Vergnaud, J. C. (2016). In search of good probability assessors: an experimental comparison of elicitation rules for confidence judgments. Theory and Decision, 80(3), 363–387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S., Pratt, J. W., & Zeckhauser, R. J. (1990). Efficiency despite mutually payoff-relevant private information: The finite case. Econometrica, 58(4), 873–900.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnstone, D. J. (2007). The value of a probability forecast from portfolio theory. Theory and Decision, 63(2), 153–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karni, E., & Safra, Z. (1995). The impossibility of experimental elicitation of subjective probabilities. Theory and Decision, 38(3), 313–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myerson, R. B. (1982). Optimal coordination mechanisms in generalized principal-agent problems. Journal of Mathematical Economics, 10(1), 67–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Offerman, T., Sonnemans, J., Van de Kuilen, G., & Wakker, P. P. (2009). A truth serum for non-bayesians: Correcting proper scoring rules for risk attitudes. The Review of Economic Studies, 76(4), 1461–1489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Savage, L. J. (1971). Elicitation of personal probabilities and expectations. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 66(336), 783–801.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shuford, E. H., Albert, A., & Edward Massengill, H. (1966). Admissible probability measurement procedures. Psychometrika, 31(2), 125–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Rooij, A. C., & Schikhof, W. H. (1982). A Second Course on Real Functions. Cambridge University Press.

Download references

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Peter Wakker for illuminative discussions and helpful comments. I thank Drazen Prelec for having raised the question of generalization.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jingni Yang.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yang, J. The uniqueness of local proper scoring rules: the logarithmic family. Theory Decis 88, 315–322 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11238-019-09727-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11238-019-09727-2

Keywords

Navigation