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Computation of the Nash Equilibrium Selected by the Tracing Procedure in N-Person Games

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  • Herings, P. Jean-Jacques
  • van den Elzen, Antoon

Abstract

Harsanyi and Selten (1988) have proposed a theory of equilibrium selection that selects a unique Nash equilibrium for any non-cooperative N-person game. The heart of their theory is given by the tracing procedure, a mathematical construction that adjusts arbitrary prior beliefs into equilibrium beliefs. The tracing procedure plays an important role in the definition of risk-dominance for Nash equilibria. Although the term "procedure" suggests a numerical approach, the tracing procedure itself is a non-constructive method. In this paper we propose a homotopy algorithm that generates a path of strategies. By employing lexicographic pivoting techniques it can be shown that for the entire class of non-cooperative N-person games the path converges to an approximate Nash equilibrium, even when the starting point or the game is degenerate. The outcome of the algorithm is shown to be arbitrarily close to the beliefs proposed by the tracing procedure. Therefore, the algorithm does not compute just any Nash equilibrium, but one with a sound gametheoretic underpinning. Like other homotopy algorithms, it is easily implemented on a computer. To show our results we apply methods from the theory of simplicial algorithms and algebraic geometry.
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Suggested Citation

  • Herings, P. Jean-Jacques & van den Elzen, Antoon, 2002. "Computation of the Nash Equilibrium Selected by the Tracing Procedure in N-Person Games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 89-117, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:38:y:2002:i:1:p:89-117
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    Cited by:

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    2. Herings, P. J. J. & Polemarchakis, H., 2002. "Equilibrium and arbitrage in incomplete asset markets with fixed prices," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 133-155, April.
    3. Friedel Bolle & Jörg Spiller, 2021. "Cooperation against all predictions," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(3), pages 904-924, July.
    4. Klaus Abbink & Jordi Brandts, 2002. "24," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 523.02, Unitat de Fonaments de l'Anàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (CSIC).
      • Jordi Brandts & Klaus Abbink, 2004. "24," Levine's Bibliography 122247000000000073, UCLA Department of Economics.
    5. Abbink, Klaus & Brandts, Jordi, 2008. "24. Pricing in Bertrand competition with increasing marginal costs," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 1-31, May.
    6. Theodore L. Turocy, 2002. "A Dynamic Homotopy Interpretation of Quantal Response Equilibrium Correspondences," Game Theory and Information 0212001, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 16 Oct 2003.
    7. Haake, Claus-Jochen & Su, Francis Edward, 2011. "A simplicial algorithm approach to Nash equilibria in concave games," Center for Mathematical Economics Working Papers 382, Center for Mathematical Economics, Bielefeld University.
    8. P. Herings & Ronald Peeters, 2010. "Homotopy methods to compute equilibria in game theory," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 42(1), pages 119-156, January.
    9. Keyzer, Michiel & van Wesenbeeck, Lia, 2005. "Equilibrium selection in games: the mollifier method," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 285-301, April.
    10. Herings, P. Jean-Jacques & Peeters, Ronald J. A. P., 2004. "Stationary equilibria in stochastic games: structure, selection, and computation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 118(1), pages 32-60, September.
    11. Turocy, Theodore L., 2005. "A dynamic homotopy interpretation of the logistic quantal response equilibrium correspondence," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 243-263, May.
    12. Yiyin Cao & Chuangyin Dang & Yabin Sun, 2022. "Complementarity Enhanced Nash’s Mappings and Differentiable Homotopy Methods to Select Perfect Equilibria," Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications, Springer, vol. 192(2), pages 533-563, February.
    13. Cao, Yiyin & Dang, Chuangyin, 2022. "A variant of Harsanyi's tracing procedures to select a perfect equilibrium in normal form games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 127-150.

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    JEL classification:

    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques
    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games

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