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The Emotional Moves of a Rational Actor: Smiles, Scowls, and Other Credible Messages

Author

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  • Lawrence Ian Reed

    (Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA)

  • Peter DeScioli

    (Department of Political Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA)

Abstract

Many scholars turn to emotions to understand irrational behavior. We do the opposite: we turn to rationality and game theory to understand people’s emotions. We discuss a striking theory of emotions that began with the game theory of credible threats and promises, then was enriched by evolutionary biology and psychology, and now is being tested in psychological experiments. We review some of these experiments which use economic games to set up strategic situations with real payoffs. The experiments test whether a player’s emotional expressions lend credibility to promises, threats, and claims of danger or hardship. The results offer insights into the hidden strategies behind a warm smile, an angry scowl, a look of terror, and eyes of despair.

Suggested Citation

  • Lawrence Ian Reed & Peter DeScioli, 2017. "The Emotional Moves of a Rational Actor: Smiles, Scowls, and Other Credible Messages," Games, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-11, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jgames:v:8:y:2017:i:2:p:18-:d:94577
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eric Schniter & Roman M. Sheremeta, 2014. "Predictable and Predictive Emotions: Explaining Cheap Signals and Trust Re-Extension," Working Papers 14-07, Chapman University, Economic Science Institute.
    2. Cosmides, Leda & Tooby, John, 1994. "Better than Rational: Evolutionary Psychology and the Invisible Hand," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(2), pages 327-332, May.
    3. Scharlemann, Jorn P. W. & Eckel, Catherine C. & Kacelnik, Alex & Wilson, Rick K., 2001. "The value of a smile: Game theory with a human face," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 617-640, October.
    4. Guth, Werner & Schmittberger, Rolf & Schwarze, Bernd, 1982. "An experimental analysis of ultimatum bargaining," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 367-388, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Joaquin Gómez-Miñambres & Eric Schniter, 2017. "Emotions and Behavior Regulation in Decision Dilemmas," Games, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-25, May.

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