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Bayesian games with a continuum of states

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  • ,

    (Department of Economics, Bar Ilan University)

  • ,

    (Department of Economics and Nuffield College, University of Oxford)

Abstract

We show that every Bayesian game with purely atomic types has a measurable Bayesian equilibrium when the common knowledge relation is smooth. Conversely, for any common knowledge relation that is not smooth, there exists a type space that yields this common knowledge relation and payoffs such that the resulting Bayesian game will not have any Bayesian equilibrium. We show that our smoothness condition also rules out two paradoxes involving Bayesian games with a continuum of types: the impossibility of having a common prior on components when a common prior over the entire state space exists, and the possibility of interim betting/trade even when no such trade can be supported ex ante.

Suggested Citation

  • , & ,, 2017. "Bayesian games with a continuum of states," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 12(3), September.
    • Handle: RePEc:the:publsh:1544
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ziv Hellman, 2012. "A Game with No Bayesian Approximate Equilibria," Discussion Paper Series dp615, The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
    2. Paul R. Milgrom & Robert J. Weber, 1985. "Distributional Strategies for Games with Incomplete Information," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 10(4), pages 619-632, November.
    3. , & ,, 2011. "Agreeing to agree," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 6(2), May.
    4. Heifetz, Aviad, 2006. "The positive foundation of the common prior assumption," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 105-120, July.
    5. Feinberg, Yossi, 2000. "Characterizing Common Priors in the Form of Posteriors," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 91(2), pages 127-179, April.
    6. Erik J. Balder, 1988. "Generalized Equilibrium Results for Games with Incomplete Information," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 13(2), pages 265-276, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Oriol Carbonell-Nicolau, 2021. "Equilibria in infinite games of incomplete information," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 50(2), pages 311-360, June.
    2. Einy, Ezra & Haimanko, Ori, 2020. "Equilibrium existence in games with a concave Bayesian potential," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 288-294.
    3. Bajoori, Elnaz & Flesch, János & Vermeulen, Dries, 2016. "Behavioral perfect equilibrium in Bayesian games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 78-109.
    4. Ori Haimanko, 2022. "Equilibrium existence in two-player contests without absolute continuity of information," Economic Theory Bulletin, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 10(1), pages 27-39, May.
    5. Hellman, Ziv, 2014. "A game with no Bayesian approximate equilibria," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 138-151.
    6. Oriol Carbonell-Nicolau, 2021. "Perfect equilibria in games of incomplete information," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 71(4), pages 1591-1648, June.
    7. Ziv Hellman & Yehuda John Levy, 2020. "Equilibria Existence in Bayesian Games: Climbing the Countable Borel Equivalence Relation Hierarchy," Working Papers 2020-03, Bar-Ilan University, Department of Economics.
    8. Wei He & Xiang Sun & Yeneng Sun & Yishu Zeng, 2021. "Characterization of equilibrium existence and purification in general Bayesian games," Papers 2106.08563, arXiv.org.
    9. Seungjin Han, 2021. "Robust Equilibria in General Competing Mechanism Games," Papers 2109.13177, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2023.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bayesian games; Bayesian equilibrium; common priors; continuum of states;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games

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