Skip to main content

Quantal Response Equilibria

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics

Abstract

A quantal response specifies choice probabilities that are smooth, increasing functions of expected payoffs. A quantal response equilibrium has the property that the choice distributions match the belief distributions used to calculate expected payoffs. This stochastic generalization of the Nash equilibrium provides strong empirical restrictions that are generally consistent with data from laboratory experiments with human subjects. We define the concept of regular quantal response equilibrium and discuss several applications from the recent literature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 6,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 8,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Bibliography

  • Anderson, S.K., J.K. Goeree, and C.A. Holt. 2001. Minimum effort coordination games: Stochastic potential and the logit equilibrium. Games and Economic Behavior 34: 177–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Capra, C.M., J.K. Goeree, R. Gomez, and C.A. Holt. 1999. Anomalous behavior in a traveler’s dilemma? American Economic Review 89: 678–690.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cason, T.N., and M. Van Lam. 2005. Uncertainty and resistance to reform in laboratory participation games. European Journal of Political Economy 21: 708–737.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goeree, J.K., and C.A. Holt. 2001. Ten little treasures of game theory and ten intuitive contradictions. American Economic Review 91: 1402–1422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goeree, J.K., and C.A. Holt. 2005a. An experimental study of costly coordination. Games and Economic Behavior 46: 281–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goeree, J.K., and C.A. Holt. 2005b. An explanation of anomalous behavior in models of political participation. American Political Science Review 99: 201–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goeree, J.K., C.A. Holt, and T.R. Palfrey. 2002. Quantal response equilibrium and overbidding in private-value auctions. Journal of Economic Theory 104: 247–272.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goeree, J.K., C.A. Holt, and T.R. Palfrey. 2003. Risk averse behavior in asymmetric matching pennies games. Games and Economic Behavior 45: 97–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goeree, J.K., C.A. Holt, and T.R. Palfrey. 2005. Regular quantal response equilibrium. Experimental Economics 8: 347–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guarnaschelli, S., R.D. McKelvey, and T.R. Palfrey. 2000. An experimental study of jury decision rules. American Political Science Review 94: 407–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haile, P., A. Hortacsu. and G. Kosenok. 2006. On the empirical content of quantal response equilibrium. Working paper. Yale School of Management, Yale University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harsanyi, J. 1973. Games with randomly disturbed payoffs: A new rationale for mixed strategy equilibrium. International Journal of Game Theory 2: 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levine, D., and T.R. Palfrey. 2007. The paradox of voter participation: An experimental study. American Political Science Review 101: 143–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McFadden, D. 1974. Conditional logit analysis of qualitative choice behavior. In Frontiers in econometrics, ed. P. Zarembka. New York: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKelvey, R.D., and T.R. Palfrey. 1995. Quantal response equilibrium for normal form games. Games and Economic Behavior 10: 6–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKelvey, R.D., and T.R. Palfrey. 1996. A statistical theory of equilibrium in games. Japanese Economic Review 47: 186–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKelvey, R.D., and T.R. Palfrey. 1998. Quantal response equilibrium for extensive form games. Experimental Economics 1: 9–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKelvey, R.D., T.R. Palfrey, and R. Weber. 2000. The effects of payoff magnitude and heterogeneity on behavior in 2 × 2 games with a unique mixed-strategy equilibrium. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 42: 523–548.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ochs, J. 1995. Games with unique, mixed strategy equilibria: An experimental study. Games and Economic Behavior 10: 202–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

We acknowledge financial support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the National Science Foundation (SBR 0094800 and 0551014; SES 0450712 and 0214013), and the Dutch National Science Foundation (VICI 453.03.606).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Copyright information

© 2018 Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Goeree, J.K., Holt, C.A., Palfrey, T.R. (2018). Quantal Response Equilibria. In: The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95189-5_2860

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics