The framing of games and the psychology of play

Martin Dufwenberg, Simon Gächter and Heike Hennig-Schmidt

Games and Economic Behavior, 2011, vol. 73, issue 2, 459-478

Abstract: Psychological game theory can provide rational-choice-based framing effects; frames influence beliefs, beliefs influence motivations. We explain this theoretically and explore empirical relevance experimentally. In a 2×2 design of one-shot public good games we show that frames affect subjectʼs first- and second-order beliefs and contributions. From a psychological game-theoretic framework we derive two mutually compatible hypotheses about guilt aversion and reciprocity under which contributions are related to second- and first-order beliefs, respectively. Our results are consistent with either.

Keywords: Framing; Psychological game theory; Guilt aversion; Reciprocity; Public good games; Voluntary cooperation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C72 C91 D64 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (264)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The Framing of Games and the Psychology of Play (2010)
Working Paper: The Framing of Games and the Psychology of Play (2010)
Working Paper: The Framing of Games and the Psychology of Play (2008)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:73:y:2011:i:2:p:459-478

DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2011.02.003

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