The Bounds of Reason

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herbert Gintis
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Behavioral Sciences ◽  
Behavioral Game Theory ◽  
Text Book ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Behavioral Game ◽  
Innovative Thinking

Game theory is central to understanding human behavior and relevant to all of the behavioral sciences—from biology and economics, to anthropology and political science. However, as this book demonstrates, game theory alone cannot fully explain human behavior and should instead complement other key concepts championed by the behavioral disciplines. The book shows that just as game theory without broader social theory is merely technical bravado, so social theory without game theory is a hindered enterprise. The book is a combination of a text book on game theory and a plea to use behavioral game theory as a unifying tool in all behavioral sciences. This edition has been thoroughly revised and updated. Reinvigorating game theory, the book offers innovative thinking for the behavioral sciences.

Game Theory and Human Behavior

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herbert Gintis
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Design Of Experiments ◽  
Decision Theory ◽  
Social Norms ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Strategic Interaction ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Social Efficiency ◽  
Behavioral Game Theory ◽  
Behavioral Game

Game theory is multiplayer decision theory where the choices of each player affect the payoffs to other players, and the players take this into account in their choice behavior. This chapter addresses the contribution of game theory to the design of experiments aimed at understanding the behavior of individuals engaged in strategic interaction. This is referred to as behavioral game theory. The chapter goes on to discusses charter virtues, defined as ethically desirable behavioral regularities that individuals value for their own sake, while having the property of facilitating cooperation and enhancing social efficiency. It presents two studies that illustrate the situational nature of preferences and the desire to conform to social norms. It then deals with the dark side of altruistic cooperation and norms of cooperation.

Book Reviews

2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-136
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Decision Theory ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Common Knowledge ◽  
Behavioral Sciences ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Common Knowledge Of Rationality ◽  
Basic Concepts ◽  
Simon Fraser University

Arthur J. Robson of Simon Fraser University reviews “The Bounds of Reason: Game Theory and the Unification of the Behavioral Sciences” by Herbert Gintis. The EconLit Abstract of the reviewed work begins, “Explores how key concepts from the behavioral sciences can complement game theory in providing insights into human behavior. Discusses decision theory and human behavior; game theory--basic concepts; game theory and human behavior; rationalizability and common knowledge of rationality; extensive for….”

A Multidisciplinary Framework to Model Complex Team-Based Product Development

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shun Takai
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Decision Analysis ◽  
Equilibrium Analysis ◽  
Design Decision ◽  
Behavioral Game Theory ◽  
Model Complex ◽  
Behavioral Game ◽  
Team Project

This paper investigates a multidisciplinary framework that simulates design decisions in a complex team-based product development in which engineers simultaneously work in a team project and individual projects. The proposed framework integrates cooperative and noncooperative design models with (1) equilibrium analysis, (2) uncertainty modeling based on behavioral game-theory results, and (3) decision-making using decision analysis. In the proposed framework, noncooperative design is used to simulate engineers’ decisions about team project commitment and to analyze potential free-riding; cooperative design is used to model design outcomes when engineers collaborate in the team project; equilibrium analysis and behavioral game-theory results are used to infer about other engineers’ decisions; and decision analysis is used to calculate expected values of decision alternatives. The proposed framework and the design decision-making model are illustrated using a pressure vessel design as a team project conducted by two engineers: a design engineer and a materials engineer.

scholarly journals Progress in Behavioral Game Theory

1997 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 167-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin F Camerer
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Social Values ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Backward Induction ◽  
Behavioral Game Theory ◽  
Dominated Strategies ◽  
Behavioral Game ◽  
Experimental Findings

Behavioral game theory aims to predict how people actually behave by incorporating psychological elements and learning into game theory. With this goal in mind, experimental findings can be organized into three categories: players have systematic 'reciprocated social values,' like desires for fairness and revenge. Phenomena discovered in studies of individual judgments and choices, like 'framing' and overconfidence, are also evident in games. Strategic principles, like irrelevance of strategy labels and timing of moves, iterated elimination of dominated strategies, and backward induction, are violated. Future research should incorporate these findings, along with learning and 'pregame theory,' into formal game theory.

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