行動・実験経済学研究会

April 29 (Tuesday), 5th period (17:00-18:30) 

Speaker: Kwon, Hyoji (University of Hyogo, School of Economics and Management) 

Title of talk: Democracy or In-Group Bias? Determinants of Cooperation in Sanctioning Systems

Type of talk: Research Proposal focusing on Experimental Design

Language: Japanese (日本語)

Abstract:  This research proposal presents an experimental study that investigates the interplay between democratic decision-making and in-group bias within sanctioning systems. Focusing on a public goods game framework, the study examines how cooperation is influenced when punishment mechanisms are determined by a democratic voting process rather than random assignment. Four experimental conditions are designed: (1) punishers selected via democratic election versus random assignment, and (2) punishers originating from either the in-group or the out-group. By comparing these treatments, the research aims to identify the conditions that most effectively promote cooperative behavior and to determine which factor—democratic legitimacy or in-group favoritism—exerts a stronger influence when the two are in conflict. The findings are expected to shed light on the challenges modern institutions, such as democracy and market economies, may face when implemented in societies with strong in-group ties, suggesting that cultural in-group biases might sometimes constitute a more significant barrier than the institutional design itself.  

May 20 (Tuesday), 5th period (17:00-18:30) 

Speaker: Yi Weicheng (Graduate School of Economics, Waseda University)

Title of talk: Pre-Registration and Pre-Analysis Plans in Experimental Economics

Type of talk: Reading Presentation

Language: English

Abstract:  This is a reading presentation for a paper by Imai-san and his collaborators about the recent trend of pre-registration in Experimental Economics society. The paper is available via here.  

June 17 (Tuesday), 5th period (17:00-18:30) 

Speaker: Daijiro Kawanaka (Faculty of Commerce, Waseda University)

Title of talk: Gift exchange as psychological signaling

Type of talk: Research Proposal focusing on Theory

Language: Japanese (日本語)

Abstract:  

We study a gift exchange game in which a principal offers a fixed wage to an agent, who then chooses an effort level after observing the wage. To analyze reciprocal behavior in this setting, we apply a model of belief-based guilt aversion. In our model, the principal can induce higher effort from a guilt-averse agent by offering a higher wage. We show that, under certain assumptions about the agent's guilt function, there exists a unique separating equilibrium. Additionally, we discuss an experimental design to test the implications of our model.

July 15 (Tuesday), 5th period (17:00-18:30)

Speaker 1: Kazumi Shimizu

Title of talk: How Do Probability Biases Affect Ego Utility?

Language:  Japanese

Type of talk:  Literature review + a model

Abstract: This study examines how probability biases impact ego utility through belief distortions in Bayesian updating. Individuals frequently exhibit cognitive biases, such as the law of small numbers and the gambler’s fallacy. Our model reveals that biased individuals (Freddy) experience over(under)valued ego utility due to distorted probability assessments. Findings may have significant implications for financial and labor markets.

Speaker 2:  HU Rongyu (doctoral student of Graduate School of Economics, Waseda University)

Title of talk: The Cost of Knowing: An Experiment on Ego Utility and Feedback to Self-performance

Language: English

Type of talk:  Literature review + Experimental design

Abstract: This study experimentally investigates how ego utility influences information-seeking behavior. While previous research has shed light on models of ego-driven information avoidance, empirical evidence remains scarce. This scarcity arises because ego utility—which is generated from beliefs themselves and leads people to avoid information to protect their self-image—is difficult to isolate and measure using naturally occurring data alone. We employ a three-stage experiment, consisting of an IQ test, belief elicitation, and a feedback choice task, intend to provide evidence of how ego utility creates psychological frictions and drives information avoidance.