Nazneen, Mahnaz (2017) Individual characteristics and mood effects on strategic interactions. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This thesis aims to answer questions on heterogeneity found in individual decision making owing to differences in preferences and motives.

In the first chapter I examine how individual's gender affects bargaining behaviour in an Ultimatum Game. I use a method of priming to make differences in gender roles salient. The results show that due to the prime, both men and women responder ask for a lower minimum acceptable offer when they are partnered with a male proposer, after controlling for personality traits, intelligence and risk preferences. Regardless of their gender, the prime influences behaviour of both men and women in a similar manner. Also, consistent with the literature, I find no significant difference in the Proposer behaviour.

The second chapter looks at the relationship between induced mood and cooperative behaviour in a repeated interaction using the Prisoner's Dilemma game. We find that players with an induced positive mood tend to cooperate less than players in a neutral mood setting. This difference is highest in settings with an uncertain number of repetitions and with no communication. We find that the difference is driven by both less accurate beliefs about partners' choices and a less rational reaction to these beliefs among the players in the positive mood treatment. This interpretation of the data is corroborated by a systematic analysis of the text used during communication.

The third chapter looks at the idea of multiple motives in social dilemma, using the Public Goods game and the Trust game. We look at the causal effect of mood, risk and beliefs, and find that people in positive mood put in more effort compared to people in neutral mood and perform better in the cognitive intelligence test. However, we find that mood in presence of ambiguity is overpowered by beliefs and decisions in public goods game and trust games are driven mostly by belief rather than participant's mood.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Game theory, Negotiation -- Sex differences, Cooperativeness, Cooperation, Mood (Psychology)
Official Date:	June 2017
Dates:	Date Event June 2017 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Economics
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Sgroi, Daniel ; Proto, Eugenio
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	x, 89, 38 leaves : illustrations, charts
Language:	eng

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