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Sentiments, strategic uncertainty, and information structures in coordination games

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  • Szkup, Michal
  • Trevino, Isabel

Abstract

We study experimentally how changes in the information structure affect behavior in coordination games with incomplete information (global games). We find two systematic departures from the theory: (1) the comparative statics of equilibrium thresholds and signal precision are reversed, and (2) as information becomes very precise subjects' behavior approximates the efficient equilibrium of the game, not the risk dominant one. We hypothesize that sentiments in the perception of strategic uncertainty could drive our results. To formalize this hypothesis we extend the standard model by introducing sentiments and we test this mechanism experimentally by eliciting beliefs. We find empirical support for our hypothesis: Subjects are over-optimistic about the actions of others when the signal precision is high and over-pessimistic when it is low. Thus, we show how changes in the information structure can give rise to sentiments that drastically affect outcomes in coordination games.

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  • Szkup, Michal & Trevino, Isabel, 2020. "Sentiments, strategic uncertainty, and information structures in coordination games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 534-553.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:124:y:2020:i:c:p:534-553
    DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2020.09.008
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    Cited by:

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    3. Helland, Leif & Iachan, Felipe S. & Juelsrud, Ragnar E. & Nenov, Plamen T., 2021. "Information quality and regime change: Evidence from the lab," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 538-554.
    4. Andrew Schotter & Isabel Trevino, 2021. "Is response time predictive of choice? An experimental study of threshold strategies," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 24(1), pages 87-117, March.
    5. John Van Huyck & Ajalavat Viriyavipart & Alexander L. Brown, 2018. "When less information is good enough: experiments with global stag hunt games," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 21(3), pages 527-548, September.
    6. Banerjee, Sanjay & Qu, Hong & Zhao, Ran, 2022. "Clarity trumps content: An experiment on information acquisition in beauty contests," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 381-407.
    7. Heinemann, Frank, 2024. "An experimental test of the global-game selection in coordination games with asymmetric players," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 632-656.
    8. Goryunov, Maxim & Rigos, Alexandros, 2022. "Discontinuous and continuous stochastic choice and coordination in the lab," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Global games; Coordination; Information structures; Strategic uncertainty; Sentiments; Biased beliefs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C9 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • D9 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics

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