Feature-Based Choice and Similarity Perception in Normal-Form Games: An Experimental Research

In my thesis, I investigate how strategic behavior forms in the mind of the subjects and how is it possible to influence or manipulate it, without proposing modifications of the utility function, but referring to possible logical and psychological processes. I start from the assumption that agents are boundedly rational, and unable to process the whole information contained in a strategic situation. Moreover, they are also assumed to be unable to “rationally†process the information they gathered, but rather look for intuitive solutions. I claim that these “intuitive solutions†are largely influenced by some non-strategic features, and that manipulating them without altering the true strategic structure of the game would influence agents’ strategic behavior. For this reason, I define this behavior as “feature-based choice†.