Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction
One Section Available to Choose From:
| Course Dates | Weeks | Meeting Times | Status | Instructor(s) | CRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 29, 2013 - August 02, 2013 | 1 | M-F 3:50-6:40P | Waitlisted | I Chen | 10475 |
Course Description
This is an undergraduate level course for pre-college students on game theory and experimental economics. The purpose is to provide a thorough introduction to experimental economics so students can learn how to conduct an experiment in economics and how to analyze the data in the experiment. Besides the interests in game theory, it tells students how people really interact with each other in daily life.
The standard game theory asks how rational geniuses play games, but ignored until recently how average people with emotions and limited foresight actually play games. This course introduces decision-making (mainly laboratory) experiments in economics, and related behavioral theories. We'll learn why and how economists use controlled experiments to learn about economic behavior. And we'll see how the experimental results affirm (or differ from) economic theory and/or field data.
The games we are going to study include the prisoner's dilemma, the beauty contest game, the public goods game, the bargaining experiments, and the auctions games. The introduction of game theory will also be covered. However, having a mathematic background is not necessary. You'll learn theory by playing games. At the end of the class, you will have the chance to earn prizes according to your performance in the games.
This course is mainly for students who are interested in economics, business, political science, and psychology. It provides an easy way to learn game theory so students can have a basic understanding in economics. Also, it provides a thorough introduction to experimental economics so students can start to perform their own research in this field.
1.Introduction to game theory: You are expected to understand the basic idea in simultaneous-move games and sequential-move games.
2.Introduction to experimental economics: You are expected to learn the process by which economists run experiments, and to describe how the experimental results affirm (or differ from) economic theory and/or field data.
3.Running an experiment: You will learn how to design the experiment in finance and economics. And you will be able to run z-tree program.