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Experiments with the Traveler's Dilemma: Welfare, Strategic Choice and Implicit Collusion

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  • Basu, Kaushik

    (Cornell University)

  • Becchetti, Leonardo

    (University of Rome-Tor Vergata)

  • Stanca, Luca

    (University of Milan Bicocca)

Abstract

This paper investigates behavior in the Traveler's Dilemma game and isolates deviations from textbook predictions caused by differences in welfare perceptions and strategic miscalculations. It presents the results of an experimental analysis based on a 2x2 design where the own and the other subject's bonus-penalty parameters are changed independently. We find that the change in own bonus-penalty alone entirely explains the effect on claims of a simultaneous change in one's own and the other's bonus-penalty. An increase in the other subject's bonus-penalty has a significant negative effect on claims when the own bonus-penalty is low, whereas it does not have a significant effect when the own bonus-penalty is high. We also find that expected claims are inconsistent with actual claims in the asymmetric treatments. Focusing on reported strategies, we document substantial heterogeneity and show that changes in choices across treatments are largely explained by risk aversion.

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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by Cornell University, Center for Analytic Economics in its series Working Papers with number 08-07.

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Date of creation: Oct 2008
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Handle: RePEc:ecl:corcae:08-07

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Cited by:
  1. Basu, Kaushik & Becchetti, Leonardo & Stanca, Luca, 2008. "Experiments with the Traveler's Dilemma: Welfare, Strategic Choice and Implicit Collusion," Working Papers 08-07, Cornell University, Center for Analytic Economics.
  2. Rodrigo Moro & Esteban Freidin & Fernando Tohmé & Marcelo Auday, 2011. "La teoría de juegos conductual, el dilema del viajero alternativo y la maximización de pagos," Estudios de Economia, University of Chile, Department of Economics, vol. 38(2 Year 20), pages 457-473, December.
  3. Andrea Morone & Piergiuseppe Morone, 2012. "Individual and Group Behaviours in the Traveller's Dilemma: An Experimental Study," Working Papers 2012/09, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).

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