Choice Game Research Articles

Information Asymmetric Cooperative Public Choice Games

This paper introduces information asymmetry, cooperation and payoff compensation mechanism into public choice games, and establishes an analytical frame for information asymmetric cooperative public choice games. This paper examines the coalition formation and the distribution of the cooperative payoff under the equilibrium public choice (if it does exist) in an information asymmetric public choice game under unanimity rule and those in an information asymmetric public choice game under majority rule, respectively. Arrow [1951] and Sen [1970] assumed that there is no cooperation and payoff compensation mechanism in a public choice game, and showed that rational individuals with individual sovereignty could not reach consensus on any public choice. This paper shows that, even in a public choice game of information asymmetry, the cooperation and payoff compensation mechanism may lead to the coalition equilibrium, the achievement of equilibrium public choice, and the distribution equilibrium of cooperative payoff of the coalition which supports the equilibrium public choice, whether the public choice games are under unanimity rule or under majority rule.

The impact of partially covered faces on trust attribution, sharing resources, and perceived fairness of one's own choices in Ultimatum Game.

Covered faces have been linked with impaired emotion recognition; yet, it is entirely unexplored how an occlusion due to face masks may affect individuals' behaviour in economic decisions. Across two studies, we explored whether partially covered faces (due to mask wearing or a horizontal black bar) and emotion displayed by the responder influence peoples' sharing behaviour in the Ultimatum Game and the perceived fairness of one's proposal.Study 1 showed participants were more willing to equally share their resources with a happy face (compared to a neutral one). In addition, they were more willing to make a fair proposal when the person displayed was not wearing a face mask. Our results also provide evidence that, when people had to judge how fair their proposal was, participants rated a fair proposal as fairer when responders showed happy faces without masks, while unfair proposals were rated as fairer with happy masked faces; similarly, angry faces led to fairer ratings for fair offers without masks and unfair offers with masks. Study 2 partially confirmed previous results, highlighting how a simple occlusion on the face does not have a direct effect on the proposal but moderates the effect of the displayed emotions.These findings indicate that social interactions might be affected by face occlusion, especially when it is represented by a face mask. Indeed, people might judge the same behaviour in different ways based on the fact that their counterpart has a partially covered face.

Game-based learning about the circular economy in building sustainable communities: a case of international and interdisciplinary university collaboration

PurposeThis study aims to enhance integration of game-based learning (GBL) as a tool for conveying intricate circular economy (CE) concepts effectively into international and interdisciplinary higher education collaborations for the development of sustainable communities.Design/methodology/approachA series of game-based workshops by the Circular EELISA Community of the EELISA European University program were examined in terms of their compliance with literature-based GBL characteristics and their international, interdisciplinary and online conduct. An online survey conducted with 17 workshop and/or challenge organizers from four participating universities in different countries revealed expert experiences and perceptions on these points.FindingsIt was found that sensory elements, rewards and game choice enhanced engagement and motivation in all gamification, serious game and storytelling experiences, and that a combination of multiple GBL approaches was more effective than a single-method challenge design. Diversity-friendly collaboration, cooperation and immersion were particularly important when involving culturally and disciplinarily diverse participants.Practical implicationsThis study offers practical recommendations to improve both the performance of GBL-based learning environments in current and future education alliances and collaborations and the potential of GBL approaches to motivate youth to contribute to more sustainable communities across and beyond Europe.Originality/valueThe findings underscore the value of innovative pedagogical methods in shaping environmentally conscious mindsets and practices across institutions of higher education. To that end, this is the first study that investigates GBL in CE education with implications for international university cooperation.

Endogenous choice of environmental corporate social responsibility in a mixed duopoly

AbstractThis paper constructs green managerial delegation contracts in a mixed duopoly wherein either or both public and private firms may adopt environmental corporate social responsibility (ECSR). We demonstrate that the public (private) firm owner positively (negatively) adopts ECSR incentives under Cournot, whereas the incentives are reversed under Bertrand. We also examine an endogenous ECSR choice game and discover that unilateral ECSR adopted by a public firm appears under Cournot, whereas bilateral ECSR where both firms adopt ECSR incentives appears under Bertrand. Our findings show that coordination of competition mode may be harmful to society if both marginal damage and product substitutability are sufficiently high.

Coordination in stag hunt games

Stag hunt games display a tension between a payoff superior option (stag) and a less risky but payoff inferior alternative (hare). We explore that tension by proposing a selection criterion (which we denote as relative salience) where subjects choose to coordinate in one option by comparing the salience of stag’s main aspect (its payoff) to the salience of hare’s main aspect (its risk) by accounting for both payoff-relevant factors and unobservable individual-specific (idiosyncratic) preferences. Using data from 10 experiments, we find that this criterion is a significant determinant of individual choices in stag-hunt games, outperforming other selection methods.

Effects of Meaningful Choices in Serious Games for Meaningful Learning

This action research study examines how meaningful choice design affects the overall meaningful learning experience of a virtual reality educational serious game. An intervention was developed to teach hazard detection in mines and was tested by mining engineering postgraduate students at the local tertiary institution. The study's findings revealed that meaningful choice design significantly improved the overall learning experience. This design approach empowered players to tailor their experiences based on their strengths and weaknesses, enabling them to establish a personalized flow and pace to master the content. Moreover, participants expressed that the inclusion of meaningful choice design enriched their serious game experience and, consequently, enhanced their learning outcomes.Future research on serious games should focus on exploring replayability, quantifying the impact of positive game experiences on learning, and implementing various game design principles in educational serious games. This study advances game-based education by emphasizing the benefits of using game design techniques and positive play experiences for learning.

Decision-makers self-servingly navigate the equality-efficiency trade-off of free partner choice in social dilemmas among unequals

Cooperation is more likely upheld when individuals can choose their interaction partner. However, when individuals differ in their endowment or ability to cooperate, free partner choice can lead to segregation and increase inequality. To understand how decision-makers can decrease such inequality, we conducted an incentivized and preregistered experiment in which participants (n=500) differed in their endowment and cooperation productivity. First, we investigated how these individual differences impacted cooperation and inequality under free partner choice in a public goods game. Next, we calculated if and how decision-makers should restrict partner choice if their goal is to decrease inequality. Finally, we studied whether decision-makers actually did decrease inequality when asked to allocate endowment and productivity factors between individuals, and combine individuals into pairs of interaction partners for a two-player public goods game. Our results show that without interventions, free partner choice, indeed, leads to segregation and increases inequality. To mitigate such inequality, decision-makers should curb free partner choice and force individuals who were assigned different endowments and productivities to form pairs with each other. However, this comes at the cost of lower overall cooperation and earnings, showing that the restriction of partner choice results in an equality-efficiency trade-off. Participants who acted as third-parties were actually more likely to prioritize inequality reduction over efficiency maximization, by forcing individuals with unequal endowment and productivity levels to form pairs with each other. However, decision-makers who had a ‘stake in the game’ self-servingly navigated the equality-efficiency trade-off by preferring partner choice interventions that benefited themselves. These preferences were partly explained by norms on public good cooperation and redistribution, and participants’ social preferences. Results reveal potential conflicts on how to govern free partner choice stemming from diverging preferences ‘among unequals’.

Gauging Acceptance: A Multifaceted Examination of Physical Ability and Its Role for Peer Networks in Adolescent Physical Education

This study examines the role of perceptions of physical ability on collaboration networks in physical education through three distinct lenses: self-concept, peer assessments, and teacher ratings. The interplay of these perspectives on team partner nominations is analyzed using exponential random graph models, while taking into account variables such as liking networks and gender associations. Drawing upon a sample of 302 adolescents across 14 high-school classes, the results reveal that physical ability is significantly linked with choices for team partners, indicating that high and similar performing peers are more likely to be chosen as team partners. Furthermore, only peer perceived ability was found to be predictive of social relationships in physical education, while the self and teacher perspectives show no significant effects on collaboration choices in sports games. These findings highlight the important role of academic norms, such as physical ability, for peer relations in physical education.

Consumers' environmental awareness and endogenous managerial delegation choice between sales and environmental incentives

This study considers consumers' environmental awareness (CEA) and examines firms' managerial delegation contracts between sales and environmental performance incentives under different competition modes. Under sales delegation contracts, quantity competition yields higher sales incentives and better environmental performance, whereas welfare depends on marginal environmental damage. Under environmental delegation contracts, however, price competition yields higher environmental incentives and welfare, whereas environmental performance depends on CEA. Then, we discover that environmental delegation contracts result in higher abatement levels and better environmental and social performances than sales delegation contracts, regardless of competition modes; bilateral environmental (sales) delegation contracts can be an equilibrium in an endogenous delegation choice game when CEA is high (low). Finally, we examine a successive endogenous competition mode choice game and determine that unless CEA is sufficiently high, firms choose a quantity contract followed by either sales or environmental delegation contracts, leading to socially undesirable outcomes.

RECURSO DE TECNOLOGIA ASSISTIVA PARA ESTUDANTES COM PARALISIA CEREBRAL: JOGO DE DAMAS ADAPTADO COMO MODELO METODOLÓGICO

This study aimed to analyze the effects of the board game “Adapted Checkers” on the performance of manipulative skills in a student with cerebral palsy. The study identifies and describes the adaptations of teaching strategies and implementation of the Assistive Technology pedagogical resource. The method used was the single-subject design, in the AB model. The design demonstrates the student's performance in relation to manipulative skills, as dependent variables, and the game of “Adapted Checkers” as an independent variable. The research was divided into the following stages: 1. Choice of game: the board game Checkers was chosen, which met the criteria established in the research and the characteristics of the student with cerebral palsy; 2. Baseline: where the initial data collection began without researcher intervention; 3. Adaptation of the game: the game was adapted based on the specific needs of the participant; 4. Intervention: introduction of strategies and adaptations to the game. The sessions were filmed, and the data were evaluated and recorded in scatter plots. For data analysis, a table of response variables was used, scored from zero to three points. The items evaluated were: 1. Precision of movement; 2. Range of movement; 3. Handgrip ability; and 4. Speed of movement. The participant showed significant progress in all variables through training in the intervention phase, with the resource adaptations. The game of “Adapted Checkers” was shown to be effective in relation to the manipulative skills of the student with cerebral palsy, providing autonomy during the game. Received: 2024/04/19 Reformulated: 2024/06/03 Accepted: 2024/06/11

The Implementation of Traditional Game Media to Enhance Social-Emotional Relationships Between Elementary School Students

The research investigated using traditional gaming media to strengthen social and emotional connections among primary school students. The research focuses on enhancing values such as collaboration, understanding, and empathy through traditional games of choice. The method used is classroom action research with the active participation of grade 5 students of SDN Sidokare IV. Traditional children's play media was chosen as an intervention tool because it contains social values such as cooperation, communication, and empathy. Data were collected through participant observation, interviews, and questionnaires to assess changes in social-emotional interactions before and after the intervention. Data analysis was carried out using a qualitative approach. The results showed that consistent use of traditional game media can significantly improve the social-emotional connection of elementary school students and strengthen the level of empathy and understanding of elementary school students. This article provides a foundation for developing more effective strategies for building learning environments that support the development of positive social relationships.

Freedom of choice disrupts cyclic dominance but maintains cooperation in voluntary prisoner’s dilemma game

Cyclic dominance has become a pivotal factor in sustaining cooperation within structured populations. However, this comprehension has predominantly revolved around node dynamics, where agents are constrained to adopt a uniform strategy with all neighbors. This constraint restricts agents’ capabilities to respond differently to various neighbors. In this study, we explore the under-emphasized role of freedom of choice in spatial games, applying a voluntary prisoner’s dilemma model across diverse network structures. We differentiate between ‘node agents,’ who adhere to a consistent strategy with all neighbors, and ‘link agents,’ who adjust their strategies based on specific interactions, influenced by direct and indirect emotional factors. Direct emotion governs the strategy between two interacting agents, while indirect emotion encompasses the impact of third-party influences on strategic decisions. Our Monte Carlo simulations reveal that freedom of choices disrupts cyclic dominance establishment – particularly as the proportion of link agents grows – and influences the evolution of cooperation in nuanced ways. Specifically, a minor preference for upstream strategy delivery markedly promotes cooperation, while a strong preference diminishes it. Our findings suggest that the importance of cyclic dominance in promoting cooperation may have been overestimated, revealing that cooperation can flourish with varied strategies even in the absence of strong cyclic dominance.

‘This is the fate I choose’: Elsinore and thoughtful choice in Shakespeare games

Abstract Interactivity is one of, if not the most, crucial factor in video game adaptations of literature. The 2019 point-and-click adventure game Elsinore makes the most of its interactivity by building its narrative and gameplay around structural and thematically relevant aspects of the source text, Hamlet. Specifically, the combination of knowledge and motivation, central to the philosophy of prohairesis or thoughtful choice, is also an essential element of a fulfilling game experience. Additionally, it is meaningful that Elsinore leverages its focus on choice to make Ophelia their player-character. In short, this article argues that interactive genres, specifically video games, are a natural fit for the Early Modern fixation on thoughtful choice, especially representations of characters infamous for their lack of choice. Furthermore, these adaptations continue to represent an encouraging future for the commercial success of such works and future scholarship in adaptation theory.

Efficient and Convergent Sequential Pseudo-Likelihood Estimation of Dynamic Discrete Games

Abstract We propose a new sequential Efficient Pseudo-Likelihood (k-EPL) estimator for dynamic discrete choice games of incomplete information. k-EPL considers the joint behaviour of multiple players simultaneously, as opposed to individual responses to other agents’ equilibrium play. This, in addition to reframing the problem from conditional choice probability (CCP) space to value function space, yields a computationally tractable, stable, and efficient estimator. We show that each iteration in the k-EPL sequence is consistent and asymptotically efficient, so the first-order asymptotic properties do not vary across iterations. Furthermore, we show the sequence achieves higher-order equivalence to the finite-sample maximum-likelihood estimator with iteration and that the sequence of estimators converges almost surely to the maximum-likelihood estimator at a nearly superlinear rate when the data are generated by any regular Markov perfect equilibrium, including equilibria that lead to inconsistency of other sequential estimators. When utility is linear in parameters, k-EPL iterations are computationally simple, only requiring that the researcher solve linear systems of equations to generate pseudo-regressors which are used in a static logit/probit regression. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate the theoretical results and show k-EPL’s good performance in finite samples in both small- and large-scale games, even when the game admits spurious equilibria in addition to one that generated the data. We apply the estimator to analyse competition in the U.S. wholesale club industry.

Game Study on Morning Peak Road Congestion Problem

The morning peak road congestion problem has always been a hot issue in urban traffic management. Road congestion during the morning peak not only affects the travel efficiency of travelers, but also has a serious negative impact on the urban environment and economic development. This article starts from the perspective of game theory and focuses on the problem of road selection. This article considers government supervision and builds a game model from the two game subjects of the driver and the traffic controller. This article analyzes the relationship between the driver and the driver, the driver and the traffic controller. This paper studies the impact of traffic time, whether the driver investigates in advance, and whether the traffic commander conducts road command on the stable strategy of the driver's road choice game. The research results of this article show that drivers and drivers can achieve Nash equilibrium by choosing different roads, and drivers adopting collaborative strategies during the morning peak period can effectively alleviate road congestion. Under the condition of ensuring the cost of arranging traffic commanders for drivers and the government, drivers can investigate the road in advance and traffic commanders can direct road 2, which can effectively promote the smooth operation of the traffic system. At the same time, this article puts forward targeted policy suggestions, aiming to optimize the allocation of transportation resources, improve road traffic efficiency, reduce morning peak road congestion, and provide scientific reference and decision-making support for urban traffic management.

Who Makes Popular Content? Information Cues from Content Creators for Users’ game Choice: Focusing on User-Created Content Platform “Roblox”

User-generated game platforms have emerged as a channel fostering creative activities in online communities. Therefore, this study reveals users’ decision making at UGG platform such as Roblox, where millions of users contribute to game creation and play the game. In particular, teenagers, who are digital natives and known as Generation Z, select a game from various UGGs on Roblox. Thus, this study focuses on how game creator information in personal profile plays a significant role in determining digital natives’ choice of UGG. Drawing the signaling theory, this research focus on creators’ abilities and popularities as indicators for UGG choices. We collect a total of 1,301 fighting games from Roblox and game creator information. To address endogeneity, a two-stage least squares(2SLS) analysis was conducted using instrumental variables. The results show that the number of limited items and followers achieved by the creator positively affect game popularity.

L2 learning outcomes of a research-based digital app for Japanese children

AbstractDigital educational game-based apps can be effective in helping young children develop language skills, particularly when paired with formal instruction. However, we need to know more about how educational games benefit learning in the absence of formal instruction, given children’s proficiency with and willingness to use mobile devices anytime, anywhere. This study uses a randomized controlled trial design to investigate the impact of a digital app—ABCmouse English—on L2 learning of seven- and eight-year-old Japanese children over a 16-week period. Pre- and post-assessments of the children’s English proficiency, together with an analysis of when and how they played with the app, were used to shed light on the relationship between the children’s in-app game choices and their language learning outcomes. Surveys and interviews with parents provide qualitative insights and information about the experiences of children and their families while using the app and its impact on their development as language learners.

How Game Ecology Drives Player Choices in Strategy Video Games: An Environmental Determinism Perspective

Background Recent years have witnessed increasing attention on the study of game ecology, the virtual environments, and underlying mechanics within games. Yet, these studies often focus on the active role that players have in changing game ecology, while overlooking the reciprocal influence between game ecology and players. Methods This study investigates the potential impact of game ecology on player choices from an environmental determinism perspective—the development of humanity is shaped by the physical environment. This new perspective is substantiated by a case study of two strategy games, Sid Meier's Civilization VI and Humankind, using an immersive-participatory method to analyze their game mechanics. Results This study identifies four major forms of game mechanics that use game ecology to influence player choices: spatial constraints, movement modifiers, uncommon events, and dynamic indexes. Discussion This study discusses how the identified game mechanics reflect environmental determinism and contrast with the conventional ideology of cultural determinism. Additionally, environmental determinism in video games, derived from a broader social background, is constantly evolving into new forms. Conclusion This study introduces a new perspective of environmental determinism for analyzing the interaction between game ecology and players. This approach has the potential to offer valuable insights into guiding future game design and research endeavors.

Differential effects of prior outcomes and pauses on the speed and quality of risky choices

AbstractFailures to obtain rewards influence what people choose to do next and how quickly they execute a chosen action, which are two components of motivated behavior. For instance, in risky decisions, losses can induce faster responses and sometimes increase risk‐taking, which may lead to detrimental consequences in some situations (such as gambling). Pauses might reduce these motivational influences of prior outcomes. To examine this question, participants alternated between a guess game, in which they won or lost money, and a choice game, in which they chose between a high probability of winning a small amount of money and a low probability of winning a large amount of money. The pause between a guess and a choice game was made either short (0 or 300 ms) or long (3000 ms). In four experiments, prior outcomes consistently influenced decision speed, such that people chose faster after a loss than after a win. However, prior outcomes did not consistently influence people's choices. In contrast, pauses increased decision quality, such that participants chose the option with a higher expected value more often, without substantially reducing decision speed. Pauses may improve decision quality by influencing predecisional attention allocation to relevant information, as its effect was absent when the overall task attention was high (Experiment 3). These findings have implications for both safer gambling and risky decision research. Future work can examine the underlying computational and cognitive processes and the generalizability of these findings to other contexts and populations.

Tracing Tomorrow: young people’s preferences and values related to use of personal sensing to predict mental health, using a digital game methodology

BackgroundUse of personal sensing to predict mental health risk has sparked interest in adolescent psychiatry, offering a potential tool for targeted early intervention.ObjectivesWe investigated the preferences and values of UK...