Adolescents, Cognitive Ability, and Minimax Play

Shachat, Jason and Geng, Sen and Peng, Yujia and Zhong, Huizhen (2014): Adolescents, Cognitive Ability, and Minimax Play.

Abstract

We conduct experiments with adolescent participants on repeated fixed play in three different zero-sum games which have mixed strategy minimax solutions. Further, we collect subject information on cognitive abilities and participation rates in competitive activities. We find the adolescents' correspondences with and deviations from minimax play largely consistent with previously and widely studied adult populations. Further, we find strategic sophistication in terms of implementation of the mixed minimax strategy as well as earnings are not correlated with cognitive ability nor previous experience in competitive situations.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Minimax; experimental game; adolescent; cognitive abilities
• Subjects: C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C7 - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory > C72 - Noncooperative Games; C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C9 - Design of Experiments > C93 - Field Experiments; D - Microeconomics > D0 - General > D03 - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles

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