Theil Index and Atkinson Index

Description: This quiz is designed to assess your understanding of the Theil Index and Atkinson Index, which are commonly used measures of income inequality.
Number of Questions: 15
Created by:
Tags: economics income inequality theil index atkinson index
Attempted 0/15 Correct 0 Score 0

What is the Theil Index?

  1. A measure of income inequality that considers the distribution of income across the entire population.

  2. A measure of income inequality that considers only the distribution of income among the poorest individuals.

  3. A measure of income inequality that considers only the distribution of income among the richest individuals.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Theil Index is a measure of income inequality that takes into account the distribution of income across the entire population. It is calculated as the sum of the squared differences between each individual's income and the mean income, divided by the mean income.

What is the Atkinson Index?

  1. A measure of income inequality that considers the distribution of income across the entire population.

  2. A measure of income inequality that considers only the distribution of income among the poorest individuals.

  3. A measure of income inequality that considers only the distribution of income among the richest individuals.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Atkinson Index is a measure of income inequality that focuses on the distribution of income among the poorest individuals. It is calculated as the weighted sum of the squared differences between each individual's income and the poverty line, where the weights are the individuals' incomes.

Which of the following is true about the Theil Index?

  1. It is a relative measure of income inequality.

  2. It is an absolute measure of income inequality.

  3. It is both a relative and an absolute measure of income inequality.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Theil Index is a relative measure of income inequality, meaning that it measures the degree of inequality relative to the mean income. It does not measure the absolute level of income inequality.

Which of the following is true about the Atkinson Index?

  1. It is a relative measure of income inequality.

  2. It is an absolute measure of income inequality.

  3. It is both a relative and an absolute measure of income inequality.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Atkinson Index is an absolute measure of income inequality, meaning that it measures the absolute level of inequality. It does not measure the degree of inequality relative to the mean income.

Which of the following is true about the relationship between the Theil Index and the Atkinson Index?

  1. The Theil Index is always higher than the Atkinson Index.

  2. The Atkinson Index is always higher than the Theil Index.

  3. The Theil Index and the Atkinson Index are always equal.

  4. The relationship between the Theil Index and the Atkinson Index depends on the distribution of income.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The relationship between the Theil Index and the Atkinson Index depends on the distribution of income. In general, the Theil Index is higher than the Atkinson Index when the distribution of income is more unequal. However, this is not always the case.

Which of the following is a limitation of the Theil Index?

  1. It is sensitive to outliers.

  2. It is not sensitive to outliers.

  3. It is both sensitive and not sensitive to outliers.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Theil Index is sensitive to outliers, meaning that it can be significantly affected by the presence of a few individuals with very high or very low incomes. This can make it difficult to interpret the results of the Theil Index.

Which of the following is a limitation of the Atkinson Index?

  1. It is sensitive to the choice of poverty line.

  2. It is not sensitive to the choice of poverty line.

  3. It is both sensitive and not sensitive to the choice of poverty line.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Atkinson Index is sensitive to the choice of poverty line, meaning that the results of the index can change significantly depending on the poverty line that is used. This can make it difficult to compare the results of the Atkinson Index across different countries or time periods.

Which of the following is an advantage of the Theil Index?

  1. It is easy to calculate.

  2. It is difficult to calculate.

  3. It is both easy and difficult to calculate.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Theil Index is relatively easy to calculate, making it a popular measure of income inequality. It can be calculated using a simple formula that does not require any specialized software.

Which of the following is an advantage of the Atkinson Index?

  1. It is a more robust measure of income inequality than the Theil Index.

  2. It is a less robust measure of income inequality than the Theil Index.

  3. It is equally robust as the Theil Index.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Atkinson Index is a more robust measure of income inequality than the Theil Index, meaning that it is less sensitive to outliers and changes in the distribution of income. This makes it a more reliable measure of income inequality.

Which of the following is a common application of the Theil Index?

  1. Measuring income inequality in a country.

  2. Measuring income inequality in a region.

  3. Measuring income inequality in a city.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Theil Index is commonly used to measure income inequality in a country. It can be used to compare the income inequality of different countries or to track the changes in income inequality over time.

Which of the following is a common application of the Atkinson Index?

  1. Measuring poverty in a country.

  2. Measuring income inequality in a country.

  3. Measuring the impact of government policies on income inequality.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Atkinson Index is commonly used to measure poverty in a country. It can be used to compare the poverty rates of different countries or to track the changes in poverty rates over time.

Which of the following countries has the highest Theil Index?

  1. India

  2. China

  3. United States


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

India has the highest Theil Index among the three countries, indicating that it has the highest level of income inequality.

Which of the following countries has the highest Atkinson Index?

  1. India

  2. China

  3. United States


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

India has the highest Atkinson Index among the three countries, indicating that it has the highest level of poverty.

Which of the following government policies is likely to reduce the Theil Index?

  1. A progressive income tax.

  2. A flat income tax.

  3. A regressive income tax.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

A progressive income tax is likely to reduce the Theil Index because it taxes higher incomes at a higher rate than lower incomes. This helps to redistribute income from the rich to the poor, reducing income inequality.

Which of the following government policies is likely to reduce the Atkinson Index?

  1. A minimum wage.

  2. A universal basic income.

  3. A negative income tax.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

A minimum wage is likely to reduce the Atkinson Index because it increases the incomes of the poorest individuals. This helps to reduce poverty and income inequality.

- Hide questions