How strategic are children and adolescents? Experimental evidence from normal-form games

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization
Year: 2016
Volume: 128
Issue: C
Pages: 265-285

Score contribution per author:

0.503 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We examine the strategic sophistication of 196 children and adolescents, aged 10–17 years, in experimental normal-form games. Besides choices, we also elicit first- and second-order beliefs. The share of subjects playing Nash or expecting opponents to play Nash is fairly stable across all age groups. The likelihood of playing best response to own beliefs increases in math skills. Using a mixture model, about 40% of subjects are classified as a strategic type, while the others are non-strategic. The distribution of types is somewhat changing with age. The estimated error rates also show some dependency on age and gender.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jeborg:v:128:y:2016:i:c:p:265-285
Journal Field
Theory
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25