EXPERIMENTAL GAMES AND MARKETS
- Academic year
- 2018/2019 Syllabus of previous years
- Official course title
- EXPERIMENTAL GAMES AND MARKETS
- Course code
- PHD085 (AF:299025 AR:164528)
- Modality
- ECTS credits
- 6
- Degree level
- Corso di Dottorato (D.M.45)
- Educational sector code
- SECS-P/01
- Period
- Annual
- Course year
- 1
- Where
- VENEZIA
Contribution of the course to the overall degree programme goals
The course provides theoretical and empirical tools to improve students’ understanding of the behavioral approach to decision making processes and subjective well-being, with particular emphasis on strategic interaction, information cascades, survey experiments, determinants of life satisfaction, and nudging. Behavioral economics and experimental economics are modern fields of research that highlight and seek to rationalize the main discrepancies observed in economic choices and behaviors. During lectures, we will implement “pen and paper” experiments and discuss the corresponding results by looking at the existing literature.
Expected learning outcomes
Understanding the main methodological aspects of behavioral and experimental economics.
Understanding the main research questions that are still open in behavioral and experimental economics.
Providing tools to develop research questions and research investigations autonomously.
Understanding the main research questions that are still open in behavioral and experimental economics.
Providing tools to develop research questions and research investigations autonomously.
Pre-requirements
No specific requirements are expected from students.
Contents
Introduction: why behavioral economics and experimental economics? Tips and tricks in experimental economics?
Information cascades.
Coordination problems and focal points.
Voluntary contribution to public goods, incentives and multiple projects.
Subjective well-being and life satisfaction: introduction.
Determinants of life satisfaction: measurement issues and survey experiment.
Behavioral economics meets policy makers: cognitive biases and nudging.
A field experiment on breast-cancer screening.
Information cascades.
Coordination problems and focal points.
Voluntary contribution to public goods, incentives and multiple projects.
Subjective well-being and life satisfaction: introduction.
Determinants of life satisfaction: measurement issues and survey experiment.
Behavioral economics meets policy makers: cognitive biases and nudging.
A field experiment on breast-cancer screening.
Referral texts
Handbook of Experimental Economics, 1997, J. H. Kagel and A. E. Roth (eds), Princeton University Press. Ch. 1, 2, 3, 8.3.
+ Slides used in class
Additional references:
[Information Cascades]
Anderson, L. R. and Holt, C. A. (2008). Information Cascade Experiment. In Handbook of Experimental Economics Results (Vol.1. Ch. 39).
Bikhchandani, S., Hirshleifer, D. and Welch, I. (1998). Learning from the Behavior of Others: Conformity, Fads, and Informational Cascades. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 12(3), 151–170.
Corazzini, L. and Greiner, B. (2007). Herding, social preferences and (non-)conformity. Economic Letters, 97, 74-80.
[Non selfish preferences, public goods and incentives]
Cooper, D. J. and Kagel, J. H. (2013). Other-Regarding Preferences: A Selective Survey of Experimental Results. To appear in the Handbook of Experimental Economics, Vol 2, J. H Kagel and A. E Roth (eds), Princeton University Press.
Bernasconi, M., Corazzini, L., Kube, S., and Marechal, M. (2009). Two are Better than One! Individuals’ Contributions to Unpacked Public Goods. Economics Letters, 104(1), 31-33.
Corazzini, L., Faravelli, M., and Stanca, L. (2010). A Prize to Give for: An Experiment on Public Good Funding Mechanisms. Economic Journal, 120, 944–967.
Corazzini, L., Cotton, C., and Valbonesi, P. (2015). Donor Coordination in Project Funding: Evidence from a Threshold Public Goods Experiment. Journal of Public Economics, 128, 16-29.
[Life Satisfaction]
Angelini, V., Cavapozzi, D., Corazzini, L., and Paccagnella, O. (2014) Do Danes and Italians Rate Life Satisfaction in the Same Way? Using Vignettes to Correct for Individual-Specific Scale Biases. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 76(5), 643-666.
Angelini, V., Beroni, M., and Corazzini, L. (2017). Unpacking the Determinants of Life Satisfaction: a Survey Experiment. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society - A, 180(1), 225-246.
Dolan, P., Peasgood, T., and White, M. (2008). Do we really know what makes us happy? A review of the economic literature on the factors associated with subjective well-being. Journal of Economic Psychology, 29, 94–122.
Frey, B. S. and Stutzer, A. (2002). What can economists learn from happiness research? Journal of Economic Literature, 40, 402–435.
[Nudging]
Bertoni, M., Corazzini, L., Robone, S. (2017). The Good Outcomes of Bad News: A Randomized Field Experiment on Formatting Breast Cancer Screening Invitations". HEDG Working Papers, 17/27.
Thaler R.H., Sunstein C.R. (2008), Nudge. Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
+ Slides used in class
Additional references:
[Information Cascades]
Anderson, L. R. and Holt, C. A. (2008). Information Cascade Experiment. In Handbook of Experimental Economics Results (Vol.1. Ch. 39).
Bikhchandani, S., Hirshleifer, D. and Welch, I. (1998). Learning from the Behavior of Others: Conformity, Fads, and Informational Cascades. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 12(3), 151–170.
Corazzini, L. and Greiner, B. (2007). Herding, social preferences and (non-)conformity. Economic Letters, 97, 74-80.
[Non selfish preferences, public goods and incentives]
Cooper, D. J. and Kagel, J. H. (2013). Other-Regarding Preferences: A Selective Survey of Experimental Results. To appear in the Handbook of Experimental Economics, Vol 2, J. H Kagel and A. E Roth (eds), Princeton University Press.
Bernasconi, M., Corazzini, L., Kube, S., and Marechal, M. (2009). Two are Better than One! Individuals’ Contributions to Unpacked Public Goods. Economics Letters, 104(1), 31-33.
Corazzini, L., Faravelli, M., and Stanca, L. (2010). A Prize to Give for: An Experiment on Public Good Funding Mechanisms. Economic Journal, 120, 944–967.
Corazzini, L., Cotton, C., and Valbonesi, P. (2015). Donor Coordination in Project Funding: Evidence from a Threshold Public Goods Experiment. Journal of Public Economics, 128, 16-29.
[Life Satisfaction]
Angelini, V., Cavapozzi, D., Corazzini, L., and Paccagnella, O. (2014) Do Danes and Italians Rate Life Satisfaction in the Same Way? Using Vignettes to Correct for Individual-Specific Scale Biases. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 76(5), 643-666.
Angelini, V., Beroni, M., and Corazzini, L. (2017). Unpacking the Determinants of Life Satisfaction: a Survey Experiment. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society - A, 180(1), 225-246.
Dolan, P., Peasgood, T., and White, M. (2008). Do we really know what makes us happy? A review of the economic literature on the factors associated with subjective well-being. Journal of Economic Psychology, 29, 94–122.
Frey, B. S. and Stutzer, A. (2002). What can economists learn from happiness research? Journal of Economic Literature, 40, 402–435.
[Nudging]
Bertoni, M., Corazzini, L., Robone, S. (2017). The Good Outcomes of Bad News: A Randomized Field Experiment on Formatting Breast Cancer Screening Invitations". HEDG Working Papers, 17/27.
Thaler R.H., Sunstein C.R. (2008), Nudge. Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
Assessment methods
The evaluation process consists of preparing an essay on one of the topics covered during lectures.
Teaching methods
Lectures and "pen-and-paper" experiments.
Type of exam
written
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals
This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development
Definitive programme.
Last update of the programme: 02/05/2019