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Preference Based Subjective Beliefs

Author

Listed:
  • Matilde Giaccherini

    (CEIS, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Roma, Italy)

  • Giovanni Ponti

    (Departamento de Fundamentos del Análisis Económico, Universidad de Alicante, 03071 Alicante, Spain
    Department of Economics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
    Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza, LUISS Guido Carli Roma, 00197 Roma, Italy)

Abstract

We test the empirical content of the assumption of preference dependent beliefs using a behavioral model of strategic decision making in which the rankings of individuals over final outcomes in simple games influence their beliefs over the opponent’s behavior. This approach— by analogy with Psychological Game Theory—allows for interdependence between preferences and beliefs but reverses the order of causality. We use existing evidence from a multi-stage experiment in which we first elicit distributional preferences in a Random Dictator Game, then estimate beliefs in a related 2 × 2 effort game conditional on these preferences. Our structural estimations confirm our working hypothesis on how social preferences shape beliefs: subjects with higher guilt (envy) expect others to put less (more) effort, which reduces the expected difference in payoffs.

Suggested Citation

  • Matilde Giaccherini & Giovanni Ponti, 2018. "Preference Based Subjective Beliefs," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-12, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jgames:v:9:y:2018:i:3:p:50-:d:158155
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    References listed on IDEAS

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