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Microeconomics: The Role of Markets

Information failure, asymmetric information and merit and demerit goods

  • 3 things to know
  • Component 01

Overview

Recall questions on information failure, asymmetric information, adverse selection and moral hazard, and the definition, examples and normative nature of merit and demerit goods.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Evaluation

Define information failure, and explain why it causes a misallocation of resources.

Evaluation

What is an everyday example of moral hazard?

Key term

Why does information failure cause a misallocation of resources?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Define information failure.

    Model answer

    A situation in which economic agents lack the full or accurate information needed to make the decision that would maximise their welfare.

  2. 2

    Why does information failure cause a misallocation of resources?

    Model answer

    Agents misjudge the value of goods, so they consume too much or too little of them relative to the socially optimum quantity.

  3. 3

    Define asymmetric information.

    Model answer

    A situation in which one party to a transaction holds more or better information than the other.

  4. 4

    What is an example of asymmetric information in a market?

    Model answer

    The seller of a used car knows its faults and history while the buyer does not.

  5. 5

    What is adverse selection?

    Model answer

    The tendency for the worst risks or lowest quality goods to be the ones most likely to enter a market when one side is better informed than the other.

  6. 6

    Define moral hazard.

    Model answer

    A situation in which one party takes greater risks because another party bears the cost of the consequences.

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