Let the Experts Decide? Asymmetric Information, Abstention, and Coordination in Standing Committees

We examine abstention when voters in standing committees are asymmetrically informed and there are multiple pure strategy equilibria-swing voter's curse (SVC) equilibria where voters with low quality information abstain and equilibria when all participants vote their information. When the asymmetry in information quality is large, we find that voting groups largely coordinate on the SVC equilibrium which is also Pareto Optimal. However, we find that when the asymmetry in information quality is not large and the Pareto Optimal equilibrium is for all to participate, significant numbers of voters with low quality information abstain. Furthermore, we find that information asymmetry induces voters with low quality information to coordinate on a non-equilibrium outcome. This suggests that coordination on "letting the experts" decide is a likely voting norm that sometimes validates SVC equilibrium predictions but other times does not.

Information Aggregation and Strategic Abstention in Large Laboratory Elections

[No abstract

Efficiency, Equity, and Timing in Voting Mechanisms

We compare the behavior of voters, depending on whether they operate under sequential and simultaneous voting rules, when voting is costly and information is incomplete. In many real political institutions, ranging from small committees to mass elections, voting is sequential, which allows some voters to know the choices of earlier voters. For a styl- ized model, we characterize the equilibria for this rule, and compare it to simultaneous voting, and show how these equilibria vary for di¤erent voting costs. This generates a variety of predictions about the relative e¢ ciency and equity of these two systems, which we test using controlled laboratory experiments. Most of the qualitative predictions are supported by the data, but there are signi?cant departures from the predicted equilib- rium strategies, in both the sequential and sumultanous voting games. We ?nd a tradeo¤ between information aggregation, e¢ ciency, and equity in sequential voting: a sequential voting rule aggregates information better, and produces more e¢ cient outcomes on aver- age, compared to simultaneous voting, but sequential voting leads to signi?cant inequities, with later voters ben?tting at the expense of early voters.

Does a history of migraines increase the risk of late-life cognitive health outcomes?

As the Canadian population ages, the burden on our community and health care systems of age-related conditions, such as dementia, is increasing and research in these areas is becoming more critical. Dementia is a major health concern for adults as they age. Although dementia is the most common neurological disease in older adults, headaches are the most common neurological disorder across all ages. Migraines are a common form of headache disorders that affect millions of people worldwide. Both neurological disorders—dementia and migraines—cause significant impairment for the individual and strain on their caregivers, as well as substantial economic impact on society. The relationship between migraines and late-life cognitive health outcomes has not yet been thoroughly explored. Using data from the Manitoba Study of Health and Aging (MSHA), the relationship between migraines and various late-life cognitive health outcomes, including overall dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD) and cognitive impairment-no dementia (CIND), was examined. As migraines and cognitive impairments are often associated with various comorbid disorders, analyses also investigated the impact of possible associated intervening variables: hypertension, diabetes, stroke, myocardial infarction and other heart conditions. A secondary focus of this project was to examine whether the association between migraines and late-life cognitive health outcomes varied by sex and family history of dementia. Migraines were a significant risk factor for both overall dementia and AD. However, the relationship between migraines and overall dementia appeared to be driven by the significant relationship between migraines and AD. Having a history of migraines was not significantly related to VaD. However, stroke was a statistically significant intervening variable in the relationship between migraines and VaD, indicating that the vascular event, stroke, plays an important part in the migraine-VaD relationship. A history of migraines was not a significant risk factor for CIND. Results could not be stratified by sex because of all participants with migraines, no men developed dementia and only one man developed CIND. Furthermore, despite a lack of significant results from models stratified by family history of dementia, the results are suggestive of possible genetic influences in the relationship between migraines and AD. Overall, this study supports the conclusion that migraines are a significant risk factor for late-life cognitive health, specifically AD. In addition, this study highlights the possibility that vascular events, such as stroke, may play an important role in the relationship between migraines and VaD. Increased understanding of mid-life risk factors for late-life cognitive health outcomes has important implications for researchers and clinicians in the form of interventions, preventative treatments and medications. In addition, this study suggests that there is a need for further research regarding possible genetic influences in the relationship between migraines and AD. As it was unable to be fully addressed in this study, future studies should investigate gender differences among individuals with migraines developing late-life cognitive health outcomes. This research aims to help develop new strategies that could aid in the prevention of cognitive decline, improve quality of life, and increase the likelihood of healthy aging