A Behavioral Approach to Learning in Economics - Towards an Economic Theory of Contingent Learning

In economics, adjustment of behavior has traditionally been treated as a "black box." Recent approaches that focus on learning behavior try to model, test, and simulate specific adjustment mechanisms in specific environments (mostly in games). Results often critically depend on distinctive assumptions, and are not easy to generalize. This paper proposes a different approach that aims to allow for more general conclusions in a methodologically more compatible way. It is argued that the introduction of the main determinants of learning behavior as situational restrictions into the standard economic model may be a fruitful way to capture some important aspects of human behavior that have often been omitted in economic theory. Based on a simple model of learning behavior (learning loop), robust findings from psychology are used to explain behavior adjustment, and to identify its determinants (contingent learning). An integrative methodology is proposed where the "black box" is not opened, but instead the factors that determine what happens inside, and the limits imposed by theses factors can be analyzed and used for model building. The paper concludes with testable hypotheses about learning behavior in the context of economics.microeconomics, game theory, learning theory, experiments

Low Information Games - Experimental Evidence on Learning in Ultimatum Bargaining

This paper reports experimental evidence on behaviour in an Ultimatum Game where responders have low structural information and feedback so that they have to learn the nature of the game during repeated play. The results lend support to the view that certain learning conditions are less favourable in terms of individual outcomes than others as suggested by the contingent learning approach (Slembeck, 1998). Furthermore, there is evidence that proposers behave "less fair" when responders lack structural information, which contrasts with common notions of fairness or "manners" in ultimatum bargaining (Camerer and Thaler 1995).bargaining, game theory, contingent learning, asymmetric information, fairness, experiments

Learning in Economics: Where Do We Stand?

This paper briefly reviews the current literature on learning in economics from a behavioral point of view. It critically compares theory with aspects of learning in real-life and with evidence from laboratory experiments, and argues that most customary approaches lack criteria for their applicability. Hence, there is a need for a theory that includes criteria when to employ which theory or which element(s) of existing theories contingent on the situation or environment in question. A discussion of several unsolved issues in economic learning stresses the fundamental role of learning conditions that have be neglected in the literature, but are accounted for in behavioral approaches such as "contingent learning".economic learning, behavioral economics, experiments, game theory, information feedback, contingent learning

How to Make Scientists Agree - An Evolutionary Betting Mechanism

This paper proposes an evolutionary betting mechanism that refers to scientists' academic reputation. The mechanism provides incentives for theoretical and empirical researchers to work on joint projects, thereby producing more general findings and stylized facts that can be used in giving economic policy advice.methodology, evolution, betting, stylized facts, economic policy

Bestimmung und Erklärung der kantonalen Mengenindizes der OKP-Leistungen

Die Kosten pro Kopf der obligatorischen Krankenpflegeversicherung (OKP) variieren in der Schweiz von Kanton zu Kanton stark. Die vorliegenden Studie schlüsselt diese Kostendifferenzen in Mengen- und Preisdifferenzen auf und erklärt die resultierenden Mengenunterschiede ökonometrisch. Als allgemeines Resultat ergibt sich, dass Mengen- und Preiseffekte häufig gleichgerichtet sind. Kantone mit grossen Mengen weisen also oft auch hohe Preise aus und umgekehrt. In den meisten Fällen dominiert zudem der Mengeneffekt den Preiseffekt. Von den untersuchten Einflussfaktoren hat der Frauenanteil sowie ein so genannter Deprivationsindex, der sich als Summe der Arbeitslosen-, Armuts-, und Invaliditätsquote berechnet, einen mengenausweitenden Einfluss auf das Total der untersuchten Gesundheitsleistungen. Von den angebotsseitigen Faktoren ist die Ärztedichte signifikant. Kantone mit höherer Ärztedichte konsumieren mehr Gesundheitsleistungen

Evolution und bedingtes Lernen

Im ökonomischen Standardmodell werden Lernprozesse nur rudimentär erfasst, obwohl sie zentral sind, um die evolutive Dynamik des wirtschaftlichen Geschehens zu erklären. Die nachfolgend diskutierten evolutiven und lerntheoretischen Ansätze modellieren Lernen zwar expliziter, beruhen aber auf impliziten und empirisch nicht fundierten Annahmen hinsichtlich der Bedingungen von Lernprozessen. Der Ansatz des bedingten Lernens schließt diese Lücke, indem er verschiedene Dimensionen von Lernbedingungen berücksichtig und damit die eigentlichen Voraussetzungen für Lernprozesse offenlegt und die Analyse auch für empirische Beobachtungen öffnet

Wettbewerbssituation im Schweizer Werbemarkt Volkswirtschaftliche und kartellrechtliche Analyse der Entwicklungen im Schweizer Werbemarkt

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