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Coordination games played by children and teenagers: On the influence of age, group size and incentives

Author

Listed:
  • Daniela Glätzle-Rützler

    (University of Innsbruck)

  • Matthias Sutter

    (Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Bonn, University of Cologne, Germany, University of Innsbruck, Austria, IZA Bonn, Germany, and CESifo Munich)

  • Claudia Zoller

    (Management Center Innsbruck)

Abstract

Efficient coordination is a major source of efficiency gains. We study in an experimental coordination game with 718 children and teenagers, aged 9 to 18 years, the strategies played in pre-adulthood. We find no robust age effects in the aggregate, but see that smaller group sizes and larger incentives increase the likelihood of choosing the efficient strategy. Beliefs play an important role as well, as subjects are more likely to play the efficient strategy when they expect others to do so as well. Our results are robust to controlling for individual risk-, time-, and social preferences.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Glätzle-Rützler & Matthias Sutter & Claudia Zoller, 2024. "Coordination games played by children and teenagers: On the influence of age, group size and incentives," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2024_18, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods.
    • Handle: RePEc:mpg:wpaper:2024_18
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    coordination game; age; group size; incentives; children; experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior

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