Asymmetric information: adverse selection and moral hazard. - One Line Questions
1.
Screening refers to: —
A party with inferior information taking steps to uncover the hidden characteristics of the other party.
2.
Moral hazard occurs when: —
A party's actions are unobservable and the party has an incentive to act in a way that harms the other party.
3.
Which of the following is an example of moral hazard? —
A car owner driving less carefully after purchasing comprehensive insurance.
4.
What is the 'principal-agent problem'? —
A situation where a principal cannot observe the actions of an agent, leading to potential conflicts of interest.
5.
Which economic issue arises after a transaction due to asymmetric information? —
Moral hazard
6.
In the context of employment contracts, if an employee has incentives to exert less effort because their effort is difficult to monitor, this is an example of: —
Moral hazard
7.
When a government agency provides subsidies for a product, and consumers, feeling less financial burden, tend to consume more of it, this can be a form of: —
Moral hazard
8.
The concept of 'hidden action' is most closely associated with which type of information asymmetry problem? —
Moral hazard
9.
The concept of 'hidden characteristics' is most closely associated with which type of information asymmetry problem? —
Adverse selection
10.
In the context of lending, if a borrower promises to use the loan for a safe investment but secretly plans a riskier one, this is an instance of: —
Moral hazard
11.
In the context of employee effort, if an employer cannot perfectly monitor how hard an employee is working, the employer faces a problem of: —
Moral hazard
12.
A situation where a person's insurance coverage leads them to engage in riskier behavior is a classic example of: —
Moral hazard
13.
In the principal-agent framework, the agent's desire to pursue their own interests, potentially at the principal's expense, is known as: —
Opportunism
14.
Deductibles in insurance contracts primarily aim to address: —
Moral hazard by making the insured party bear some of the cost.
15.
Which of the following is an example of signaling in the job market? —
An employee obtaining a university degree.
16.
Which of the following is an example of screening in the insurance market? —
An insurance company offering different policies based on health status.
17.
Moral hazard in the credit market refers to: —
Borrowers using loan proceeds for riskier ventures than initially agreed upon.
18.
What is the primary challenge posed by adverse selection in financial markets? —
Lenders might not be able to assess the true riskiness of borrowers before lending.
19.
In a credit market, adverse selection occurs when: —
Borrowers who are likely to default are more likely to seek loans.
20.
What is the core concept of asymmetric information in economics? —
One party in a transaction has more or better information than the other.
21.
The 'lemons problem' suggests that in markets with asymmetric information about quality: —
Sellers of high-quality products may be unable to get a fair price.
22.
In the labor market, moral hazard can manifest as: —
Employees exerting less effort than promised because their effort is hard to observe.
23.
What is the 'lemons' problem in Akerlof's model? —
Low-quality goods driving out high-quality goods.
24.
Co-payments in health insurance are designed to: —
Mitigate moral hazard by making patients more cost-conscious.
25.
Which of the following is a potential consequence of severe moral hazard in a market? —
Market collapse or a significant reduction in the quality of goods/services traded.
26.
Why might a perfectly competitive market fail to emerge in a market characterized by significant asymmetric information? —
Adverse selection can lead to market collapse or reduced quality.
27.
Which of the following is a common solution for adverse selection in markets with differentiated products? —
Providing warranties and guarantees
28.
In the context of insurance, adverse selection leads to: —
Insurers attracting a disproportionate number of high-risk individuals.
29.
The existence of 'hidden action' and 'hidden information' in economic transactions implies that: —
Contracts and institutions may be necessary to align incentives.
30.
Which of the following can help lenders mitigate adverse selection? —
Requiring collateral or down payments.
31.
Which economic problem arises before a transaction occurs due to asymmetric information? —
Adverse selection
32.
A situation where a seller knows a product is defective but does not disclose it to the buyer is an example of: —
Adverse selection
33.
If a company hires employees and then finds out they are less productive than their resumes suggested, this is primarily a problem of: —
Adverse selection
34.
Reputation mechanisms, such as credit ratings or customer reviews, primarily address: —
Adverse selection by revealing hidden information.
35.
George Akerlof's seminal paper 'The Market for Lemons' illustrates which economic concept? —
Adverse selection in the used car market
36.
Adverse selection is a problem that occurs when: —
Individuals with higher risks are more likely to seek insurance.
37.
Consider a market for used cars. If buyers cannot easily distinguish between good cars ('cherries') and bad cars ('lemons'), what is the likely outcome according to Akerlof? —
The market will be dominated by 'lemons', and 'cherries' may disappear.
38.
Which tool is LEAST likely to be used to combat moral hazard? —
Screening mechanisms
39.
Which of the following is a mechanism to mitigate adverse selection? —
Screening and signaling
40.
Which of the following is a mechanism to mitigate moral hazard? —
Monitoring and incentives (e.g., deductibles, co-payments, performance contracts)
41.
If employers offer higher salaries to employees with advanced degrees, this is an example of: —
Signaling by employees
42.
Which of the following can help lenders mitigate moral hazard? —
Monitoring the borrower's activities and enforcing loan covenants.
43.
Which tool is LEAST likely to be used to combat adverse selection? —
Monitoring of post-contractual behavior
44.
The use of credit scores by lenders is a form of: —
Screening by lenders
45.
In a principal-agent relationship, moral hazard is a concern because: —
The agent may shirk responsibilities or take excessive risks because their actions are not fully monitored.
46.
Signaling is a strategy employed by: —
The party with more information to reveal their hidden characteristics.
47.
A buyer is more likely to be cautious about the quality of a product when: —
The seller has more information about the product's quality.
48.
Which of the following best describes the role of warranties in mitigating adverse selection? —
They signal the seller's confidence in the product's quality.