Probabilistic preferences and topset voting

Random utility theory offers a powerful modeling tool for group decision, voting and persuasion. I combine and extend three recent developments: (1) probabilistic choice models of approval voting, (2) general random utility representations for a variety of order relations, and (3) stochastic theories of persuasion. The present topset voting model merges (1) and (2) by generalizing probabilistic choice models for approval voting to arbitrary binary preference relations. Whereas the econometric literature emphasizes parametric random utilities (e.g. generalized legit and probit), I investigate parametrizations of the probabilistic relations. A new model for paneled subset choice combines (1) and (3). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.