Course and Examination Fact Sheet: Autumn Semester 2013
9,338: Behavioral Game Theory: Strategic Interaction in Economics and Finance
ECTS credits: 4
Overview examination/s
(binding regulations see below)
Decentral ‑ Group examination paper (75%)
Decentral ‑ Presentation (in groups) (25%)
Attached courses
Timetable ‑‑ Language ‑‑ Lecturer
9,338,1.00 Behavioral Game Theory: Strategic Interaction in Economics and Finance ‑‑ English ‑‑ Neri Claudia Course information
Course prerequisites
Game Theory
Course content
Behavioral game theory combines theory and empirical (mostly experimental) methods in order to understand the strategic
behavior that people adopt when they interact with each other in many economic, social and political institutions.
Understanding strategic behavior requires understanding (i) aspects of decision‑making (such as reference‑dependent
preferences, biases in probabilistic judgement, altruism and reciprocity), (ii) aspects of strategic thinking (such as how people
make decisions in strategic situations that lack an analogous precedent) and (iii) aspects of learning. And finally it requires
understanding how the different aspects interact to determine the dynamics and the outcomes of strategic interaction.
This class will narrow the focus to strategic thinking and learning, taking behavior as (mostly) self‑interested and rational.
In the first part, we will discuss the leading theories of strategic thinking and the corresponding experimental evidence to
understand how the factors, which characterize the different models, influence behavior and outcomes. We will also cover the
design of laboratory experiments and the use of econometric methods to analyze experimental data.
In the second part, we will discuss the leading theories of learning, using experimental evidence to explore the structure of
learning rules and how learning interacts with strategic thinking.
Course structure
1. Strategic thinking
equilibrium plus noise
finitely iterated dominance and k‑rationalizability
quantal response equilibrium
level‑k
cognitive hierarchy
noiy introspection
2. Learning
rational learning
adaptive learning
reinforcement learning
beliefs‑based learning
experience‑weighted attraction (EWA) learning
Fact sheet version: 1.0 as of 08/14/2013, valid for Autumn Semester 2013
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Course literature
References to journal articles will be made available on StudyNet.
The (optional) textbook is ʺBehavioral game theory: experiments in strategic interactionʺ by Colin Camerer.
Additional course information
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Examination information
Examination part/s
1. Examination part (1/2)
Examination time and form
Decentral ‑ Group examination paper (75%)
Remark
‑‑
Examination­aid rule
Term papers
Term papers must be written without anyone elseʹs help and in accordance with the known quotation standards, and
they must contain a declaration of authorship.
The documentation of sources (quotations, bibliography) has to be done throughout and consistently in accordance with
the APA or MLA standards. The indications of the sources of information taken over verbatim or in paraphrase
(quotations) must be integrated into the text in accordance with the precepts of the applicable quotation standard, while
informative and bibliographical notes must be added as footnotes (recommendations and standards can be found, for
example, in METZGER, C. (2010), Lern‑ und Arbeitsstrategien (11. Aufl.). Aarau: Sauerländer).
For any work written at the HSG, the indication of the page numbers both according to the MLA and the APA standard is
never optional.
Where there are no page numbers in sources, precise references must be provided in a different way: titles of chapters or
sections, section numbers, acts, scenes, verses, etc.
For papers in law, the legal standard is recommended (by way of example, cf. FORSTMOSER, P., OGOREK R. und VOGT H.
(2008, Juristisches Arbeiten: Eine Anleitung für Studierende (4. Auflage), Zürich: Schulthess, or the recommendations of the
Law School).
Supplementary aids
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Examination languages
Question language: English
Answer language: English
2. Examination part (2/2)
Examination time and form
Decentral ‑ Presentation (in groups) (25%)
Remark
‑‑
Examination­aid rule
Practical examination
Fact sheet version: 1.0 as of 08/14/2013, valid for Autumn Semester 2013
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No examination‑aid rule is necessary for such examination types. The rules and regulations of the University of St. Gallen apply
in a subsidiary fashion.
Supplementary aids
‑‑
Examination languages
Question language: English
Answer language: English
Examination content
The topic of the presentation/paper will be chosen by the students, with the supervision of the instructor, among the topics
covered in class and their extensions.
The presentation/paper must be an original project and cannot consist of survey work.
Examination relevant literature
References to journal articles will be made available on StudyNet.
Please note
We would like to point out to you that this fact sheet has absolute priority over other information such as StudyNet,
faculty members’ personal databases, information provided in lectures, etc.
When will the fact sheets become binding?
Information about courses and examination time (central/decentral and grading form): from the start of the bidding
process on 22 August 2013
Information about decentral examinations (examination‑aid rule, examination content, examination relevant
literature): after the 4th semester week on 14 October 2013
Information about central examinations (examination‑aid rule, examination content, examination relevant
literature): from the start of the enrolment period for the examinations on 4 November 2013
Please look at the fact sheet once more after these deadlines have expired.
Fact sheet version: 1.0 as of 08/14/2013, valid for Autumn Semester 2013
Page 3 / 3