Identifying Behavioral Types
Theoretical Economics
2026-02-12 v1
Abstract
We study identification in models of aggregate choice generated by unobserved behavioral types. An analyst observes only aggregate choice behavior, while the population distribution of types and their type-level choice patterns are latent. Assuming only minimal and purely qualitative prior knowledge of the process generating type-level choice probabilities, we characterize necessary and sufficient conditions for identifiability. Identification obtains if and only if the data exhibit sufficient cross-type behavioral heterogeneity, which we characterize equivalently through combinatorial matching conditions between types and alternatives, and through algebraic properties of the matrices mapping type-level to aggregate choice behavior.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2602.10756,
title = {Identifying Behavioral Types},
author = {Christopher Kops and Paola Manzini and Marco Mariotti and Illia Pasichnichenko},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2602.10756},
year = {2026}
}