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Do people minimize regret in strategic situations? A level-k comparison

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  • García-Pola, Bernardo

Abstract

Regret minimization and level-k reasoning have been proposed as alternative models for rationalizing non-equilibrium behavior in games. We provide a theoretical and experimental analysis of the relationship between these two models, a relationship that has been neglected by economists. Both theories predict the same behavior in a surprisingly large number of experimentally tested games. We identify conditions under which this happens and use them to design a series of games to separate minimax regret from level-1. The experimental test of these games and data from Costa-Gomes and Crawford (2006) reveal that no one systematically minimizes regret, casting doubt on minimax regret as a relevant explanation for behavior in strategic situations.

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  • García-Pola, Bernardo, 2020. "Do people minimize regret in strategic situations? A level-k comparison," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 82-104.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:124:y:2020:i:c:p:82-104
    DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2020.07.013
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    1. Gisèle Umbhauer, 2021. "Minimax regret in the 11-20 money request game," Working Papers of BETA 2021-48, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regret minimization; Level-k model; Experiments; Initial responses; Mixture-of-types models;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior

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