Cognitive Ability, Character Skills, and Learning to Play Equilibrium: A Level-k Analysis

S-Tier
Journal: Journal of Political Economy
Year: 2016
Volume: 124
Issue: 6
Pages: 1619 - 1676

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

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

Abstract

We investigate how cognitive ability and character skills influence the evolution of play toward Nash equilibrium in repeated strategic interactions. We find that more cognitively able subjects choose numbers closer to equilibrium, earn more, and converge more frequently to equilibrium play. We estimate a structural model of learning based on level k reasoning and find a positive relationship between cognitive ability and levels. Furthermore, the average level of more cognitively able subjects responds positively to the cognitive ability of their opponents. More agreeable and emotionally stable subjects also learn faster, although the effect of cognitive ability is stronger than that of personality.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/688849
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25