EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION AVAILABILITY IN AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF A 3-PERSON GAME

The effects of six communication/information conditions on the outcomes reached by three-person groups playing a characteristic function game are investigated. The game was played by a monopolist and two weaker players. The conditions consisted of six combinations which varied the amount of information available to the players and their ability to communicate with one another. The investigation focused on the effects of the independent variables and the relationship between the data and several game theoretic solution concepts. The results indicated that the monopolistOs payoffs depended to a large extent on the communication/information conditions. Announcement of the payoff division and the availability of messages tended to reduce his payoffs. In conditions where no messages were allowed, the monopolist's payoffs increased over time.