Experimental Economics

Research Topics

Economics as an experimental science

• Why experiments?
• How to design an experiment
• Example with coherent arbitrariness
• Strengths and weaknesses of the experimental method
• Field vs. lab experiments
• Neuroeconomics: measuring brain activity

Slides Introduction

Slides Neuroeconomics

Experimental Materials

Public good games

• Public good games (voluntary contributions mechanism)
• Reasons for cooperation
• Conditional cooperation
• Strategic cooperation
• Centralized institutions (taxation and competition)
• Decentralized institutions (communication, punishment, and rewards)
• Institution formation

Slides

Experimental Materials

Punishment and cooperation

• Altruistic punishment and cooperation
• Long-run benefits
• Implementing punishment
• Punishment across societies
• Effectiveness of punishment (costs, counter-punishment, intentions)
• Emotions and punishment
• Why punish?
• Why punishment works?

Slides

Experimental Materials

Social preferences

• Inequity aversion
• Maximin preferences and efficiency
• Intentions and reciprocity

Slides

Experimental Materials

Trust

• Trust games
• Does the trust game measure trust?
• Trust and guilt aversion

Slides

Experimental Materials

Antisocial behavior and conflict

• Antisocial punishment
• Conflict and rent-seeking
• Punitive games

Slides

Experimental Materials

Voting

• Retrospective voting and convergence to the median voter
• Lobbying and divergence from the median voter
• Costly voting and turnout
• Expressive voting

Slides

Experimental Materials

Markets, aggregation and strategic environment

• Double-auction markets
• Asset Markets
• Strategic environment: complements vs. substitutes

Slides

Experimental Materials

Bayesian updating

• Learning to be Bayesian
• The winner's curse
• The winner's curse and learning

Slides

Experimental Materials

Loss aversion and probability weighting

• Loss aversion
• Risky and riskless measures of loss aversion
• Evaluation periods
• Measuring probability weighting functions

Slides

Experimental Materials

Noisy decision making

• Ten little treasures of game theory
• Quantum response equilibrium

k-level thinking

• Hide and seek, LUPI games and beauty contests.
• k-level thinking

z-Tree Programming

Introduction to z-Tree

• Basic programming in z-Tree
• Simultaneous games
• Sequential games
• Auctions and markets

Slides

z-Tree class materials

Simple z-Tree installation

Open z-Leafs

Sample z-Tree programs

Downloadable z-Tree programs

Here are a few commonly-used programs. In some cases I also include the instructions. In case of bugs, please let me know.

Links