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Learning and Noisy Equilibrium Behavior in an Experimental Study of Imperfect Price Competition

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Author Info
C. Monica Capra
Jacob K. Goeree ()
Rosario Gomez
Charles A. Holt ()

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

This paper considers a duopoly price-choice game in which the unique Nash equilibrium is the Bertrand outcome. Price competition, however, is imperfect in the sense that the market share of the high-price firm is not zero. Economic intuition suggests that price levels should be positively related to the market share of the high-price firm. Although this relationship is not predicted by standard game theory, it is implied by a generalization of the Nash equilibrium that results when players make noisy (logit) best responses to expected payoff differences. This logit equilibrium model was used to design a laboratory experiment with treatments that correspond to changing the market share of the high-price firm. The model predicts the final-period price averages for both treatments with remarkable accuracy. Moreover computer simulations of a naive learning model were used, ex ante, to predict the observed differences in the time paths of average prices.

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File URL: http://www.virginia.edu/economics/RePEc/vir/virpap/papers/virpap336.pdf
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by University of Virginia, Department of Economics in its series Virginia Economics Online Papers with number 336.

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Length: 30 pages
Date of creation: Jan 2000
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Handle: RePEc:vir:virpap:336

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Related research
Keywords: laboratory experiments; simulation; decision error; learning; logit equilibrium.;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by 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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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. Rosenthal, Robert W, 1989. "A Bounded-Rationality Approach to the Study of Noncooperative Games," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 273-91.
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  6. Simon P. Anderson & Jacob K. Goeree & Charles A. Holt, 1999. "The Logit Equilibrium: A Perspective on Intuitive Behavioral Anomalies," Virginia Economics Online Papers 332, University of Virginia, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Diamond, Peter A., 1971. "A model of price adjustment," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 156-168, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Akerlof, George A & Yellen, Janet L, 1985. "Can Small Deviations from Rationality Make Significant Differences to Economic Equilibria?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 75(4), pages 708-20, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Cooper, David J & Garvin, Susan & Kagel, John H, 1997. "Adaptive Learning vs. Equilibrium Refinements in an Entry Limit Pricing Game," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 107(442), pages 553-75, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. C. Monica Capra et al., 1999. "Anomalous Behavior in a Traveler's Dilemma?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(3), pages 678-690, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Cheung, Yin-Wong & Friedman, Daniel, 1997. "Individual Learning in Normal Form Games: Some Laboratory Results," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 46-76, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Cited by:
(explanations, 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. C. Monica Capra & Susana Cabrera & Rosario Gómez, 2003. "The Effects of Common Advice on One-shot Traveler’s Dilemma Games: Explaining Behavior through an Introspective Model with Errors," Economic Working Papers at Centro de Estudios Andaluces E2003/17, Centro de Estudios Andaluces. [Downloadable!]
  2. Philip A. Haile & Ali Hortacsu & Grigory Kosenok, 2003. "On the Empirical Content of Quantal Response Equilibrium," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1432, Cowles Foundation, Yale University. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Olivier Armantier & Nicolas Treich, 2006. "Overbidding in Independant Private-Values Auctions and Misperception of Probabilities," CIRANO Working Papers 2006s-15, CIRANO. [Downloadable!]
  4. Timothy N. Cason & Daniel Friedman, 2000. "Buyer Search and Price Dispersion: A Laboratory Study," Econometric Society World Congress 2000 Contributed Papers 1549, Econometric Society. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Susana Cabrera & C. Mónica Capra & Rosario Gómez, 2005. "Introspection in one-shot traveler’s dilemma games," Emory Economics 0504, Department of Economics, Emory University (Atlanta). [Downloadable!]
  6. Charles A. Holt & Jacob K. Goeree, 1999. "Stochastic Game Theory: For Playing Games, Not Just for Doing Theory," Virginia Economics Online Papers 306, University of Virginia, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  7. C. Monica Capra et al., 1999. "Anomalous Behavior in a Traveler's Dilemma?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(3), pages 678-690, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Timothy Cason & Daniel Friedman, 1999. "Learning in a Laboratory Market with Random Supply and Demand," Experimental Economics, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 77-98, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Patrick Bajari & Ali Hortacsu, 2003. "Are Structural Estimates of Auction Models Reasonable? Evidence from Experimental Data," NBER Working Papers 9889, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  10. Susana Cabrera & C. Capra & Rosario Gómez, 2007. "Behavior in one-shot traveler’s dilemma games: model and experiments with advice," Spanish Economic Review, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 129-152, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Enrique Fatas & Juan Mañez, 2007. "Are low-price promises collusion guarantees? An experimental test of price matching policies," Spanish Economic Review, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 59-77, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Roger Waldeck & Eric Darmon, 2006. "Can boundedly rational sellers learn to play Nash?," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 147-169, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Michel Benaim & Josef Hofbauer & Ed Hopkins, 2006. "Learning in Games with Unstable Equilibria," Levine's Bibliography 321307000000000547, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  14. Gabriel Galand, 2009. "The Neutrality of Money Revisited with a Bottom-Up Approach: Decentralisation, Limited Information and Bounded Rationality," Computational Economics, Springer, vol. 33(4), pages 337-360, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  15. Jacob K. Goeree & Charles A. Holt, 2000. "Ten Little Treasures of Game Theory and Ten Intuitive Contradictions," Virginia Economics Online Papers 333, University of Virginia, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  16. Brit Grosskopf & Ido Erev & Eldad Yechiam, 2006. "Foregone with the Wind: Indirect Payoff Information and its Implications for Choice," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 285-302, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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