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Coordination by Sunspots: Letter is Mightier than Colour

Author

Listed:
  • John Bone
  • Michalis Drouvelis
  • Konstantinos Georgalos
  • Indrajit Ray

Abstract

We set up an experiment to test whether players use a payoff-irrelevant public message (BLUE or RED) as a possible sunspot to coordinate in a Battle of the Sexes game in which the pure strategies are labelled as X and Y. We find that most players do not play a “sunspot equilibrium†; instead, they learn to coordinate on a particular focal point (pure strategy X) in the game, largely ignoring the presence of the public signal (colour), and stick to this focal point, even after the public signal is withdrawn. Colour-contingent play emerges in only two of the six matching groups, which adopt opposite mappings.

Suggested Citation

  • John Bone & Michalis Drouvelis & Konstantinos Georgalos & Indrajit Ray, 2026. "Coordination by Sunspots: Letter is Mightier than Colour," Working Papers 444838694, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    • Handle: RePEc:lan:wpaper:444838694
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    File URL: http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content-assets/documents/lums/economics/working-papers/LancasterWP2026_004.pdf
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