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Perfect and imperfect real-time monitoring in a minimum-effort game

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  • Cary Deck
  • Nikos Nikiforakis

Abstract

This paper presents the results from a minimum-effort game in which individuals can observe the choices of others in real time. We find that under perfect monitoring almost all groups coordinate at the payoff-dominant equilibrium. However, when individuals can only observe the actions of their immediate neighbors in a circle network, monitoring improves neither coordination nor efficiency relative to a baseline treatment without real-time monitoring. We argue that the inefficiency of imperfect monitoring is due to information uncertainty, that is, uncertainty about the interpretation of the information available regarding the actions of others.
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  • Cary Deck & Nikos Nikiforakis, 2012. "Perfect and imperfect real-time monitoring in a minimum-effort game," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 15(1), pages 71-88, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:expeco:v:15:y:2012:i:1:p:71-88
    DOI: 10.1007/s10683-011-9289-1
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    Cited by:

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    3. Stopnitzky, Yaniv, 2016. "Changing preferences through experimental games: Evidence from sanitation and hygiene in Tamil Nadu," IFPRI discussion papers 1587, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Thommes, Kirsten & Vyrastekova, Jana & Akkerman, Agnes, 2015. "Behavioral spillovers from freeriding in multilevel interactions," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 78-87.
    5. Maria Bigoni & Marco Casari & Andrzej Skrzypacz & Giancarlo Spagnolo, 2015. "Time Horizon and Cooperation in Continuous Time," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 83, pages 587-616, March.
    6. Matthew Embrey & Christian Seel & J. Philipp Reiss, 2020. "Gambling in Risk-Taking Contests: Experimental Evidence," Working Paper Series 1620, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    7. Ai Takeuchi & Erika Seki, 2023. "Overcoming problems of coordination and freeriding in a game with multiple public goods: dynamic contribution with information provision," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 74(3), pages 379-411, July.
    8. Evan Calford & Ryan Oprea, 2017. "Continuity, Inertia, and Strategic Uncertainty: A Test of the Theory of Continuous Time Games," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 85, pages 915-935, May.
    9. repec:sus:susewp:0623 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Roy, Nilanjan, 2017. "Action revision, information and collusion in an experimental duopoly market," MPRA Paper 77033, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Pilwon Kim & Dongryul Lee, 2019. "Repeated minimum-effort coordination games," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 1343-1359, September.
    12. Curtis Kephart & Daniel Friedman, 2015. "Hotelling revisits the lab: equilibration in continuous and discrete time," Journal of the Economic Science Association, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 1(2), pages 132-145, December.
    13. Roy, Nilanjan, 2023. "Fostering collusion through action revision in duopolies," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    14. Cason, Timothy N. & Savikhin, Anya C. & Sheremeta, Roman M., 2012. "Behavioral spillovers in coordination games," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 233-245.
    15. Stephan Schosser & Bodo Vogt, 2015. "Do hormones impact behavior in the minimum effort game? - An experimental investigation of human behavior during the weakest link game after the administration of vasopressin -," FEMM Working Papers 150011, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    16. Ailin Leng & Lana Friesen & Kenan Kalayci & Priscilla Man, 2018. "A minimum effort coordination game experiment in continuous time," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 21(3), pages 549-572, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Information uncertainty; Real-time monitoring; Imperfect monitoring; Circle network; Cheap talk; C72; C92; D82;
    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
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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