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Negatively Correlated Bandits

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Author Info
Nicolas Klein
Sven Rady () (Munich Graduate School of Economics, Kaulbachstr. 45, D-80539 Munich, Germany, Department of Economics, University of Munich, Kaulbachstr. 45, D-80539 Munich, Germany)

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Abstract

We analyze a two-player game of strategic experimentation with two-armed bandits. Each player has to decide in continuous time whether to use a safe arm with a known payoff or a risky arm whose likelihood of delivering payoffs is initially unknown. The quality of the risky arms is perfectly negatively correlated between players. In marked contrast to the case where both risky arms are of the same type, we find that learn- ing will be complete in any Markov perfect equilibrium if the stakes exceed a certain threshold, and that all equilibria are in cutoff strategies. For low stakes, the equilib- rium is unique, symmetric, and coincides with the planner’s solution. For high stakes, the equilibrium is unique, symmetric, and tantamount to myopic behavior. For inter- mediate stakes, there is a continuum of equilibria.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich in its series Discussion Papers with number 243.

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Date of creation: Aug 2008
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Handle: RePEc:trf:wpaper:243

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Related research
Keywords: Strategic Experimentation; Two-Armed Bandit; Exponential Distribution; Poisson Process; Bayesian Learning; Markov Perfect Equilibrium;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games
D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search, Learning, and Information
O32 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Godfrey Keller & Sven Rady & Martin Cripps, 2005. "Strategic Experimentation with Exponential Bandits," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 73(1), pages 39-68, 01. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  2. Patrick Bolton & Christopher Harris, 1999. "Strategic Experimentation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 67(2), pages 349-374, March.
  3. Dinah Rosenberg & Eilon Solan & Nicolas Vieille, 2004. "Social Learning in One-Arm Bandit Problems," Discussion Papers 1396, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Rothschild, Michael, 1974. "A two-armed bandit theory of market pricing," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 185-202, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. James Bergin, 1989. "A Model of Strategic Behaviour in Repeated Games," Working Papers 751, Queen's University, Department of Economics.
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  6. Godfrey Keller & Sven Rady, 2009. "Strategic Experimentation with Poisson Bandits," Discussion Papers 260, SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Kaylan Chatterjee & Robert Evans, 2004. "Rivals' Search for Buried Treasure: Competition and Duplication in R&D," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 35(1), pages 160-183, Spring.
  8. Camargo, Braz, 2007. "Good news and bad news in two-armed bandits," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 135(1), pages 558-566, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Bergin, James & MacLeod, W Bentley, 1993. "Continuous Time Repeated Games," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 34(1), pages 21-37, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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