The framing of games and the psychology of play

• Published in: Games and economic behavior Vol. 73; no. 2; pp. 459 - 478
• Main Authors: Dufwenberg, Martin, Gächter, Simon, Hennig-Schmidt, Heike
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Duluth Elsevier Inc 01.11.2011; Academic Press
• Subjects: Belief & doubt; Beliefs; Economic psychology; Economics and Business; Ekonomi och näringsliv; Framing; Game theory; Guilt aversion; Influence; Psychological aspects; Psychological game theory; Public choice; Public good games; Public goods; Reciprocity; Studies; Voluntary cooperation; Public good games; D64; Voluntary cooperation; Reciprocity; C91; Framing; Z13; Psychological game theory; Guilt aversion; C72
• ISSN: 0899-8256; 1090-2473
• DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2011.02.003

Psychological game theory can provide rational-choice-based framing effects; frames influence beliefs, beliefs influence motivations. We explain this theoretically and explore empirical relevance experimentally. In a 2 × 2 design of one-shot public good games we show that frames affect subjectʼs first- and second-order beliefs and contributions. From a psychological game-theoretic framework we derive two mutually compatible hypotheses about guilt aversion and reciprocity under which contributions are related to second- and first-order beliefs, respectively. Our results are consistent with either. ► Psychological game theory can explain framing effects in public goods experiments. ► We develop models of guilt aversion and reciprocity. ► Frames might influence beliefs, beliefs influence motivations and contributions. ► We ran one-shot public good experiments with four framing treatments. ► The results support the predictions.