The 'materials' of experimental economics: technological versus behavioral experiments
Journal of Economic Methodology 14 (3):311-337 (2007)
| Abstract | In the natural sciences there is a general consensus on the epistemic value conferred by the participation of the ?material world? in the experimental process of knowledge production. This is no different in experimental economics. However, an inquiry into the epistemic role of the ?materials? of economics is still underdeveloped. The present paper is meant as a contribution to this inquiry. Two categories of experiments are identified according to the differentiated role of the ?materials? of economics. It is argued that the crucial ?material? of technological experiments is the market institution that is tailored in the laboratory to accomplish specific purposes. The crucial ?material? of behavioral experiments is instead the participation of the experimental subjects in the production of knowledge of individual and collective behavior. FCC spectrum auctions and ultimatum game experiments illustrate technological and behavioral experiments, respectively. General policy implications are also drawn from each kind of experiment. | |||||||||
| Keywords | No keywords specified (fix it) | |||||||||
| Categories | ||||||||||
| Options |
|
|||||||||
Download options| PhilPapers Archive |
Upload a copy of this paper Check publisher's policy on self-archival Papers currently archived: 5,672 |
| External links |
 |
| Through your library | Configure |
Similar books and articlesAna C. Santos (2009). Behavioral Experiments: How and What Can We Learn About Human Behavior. Journal of Economic Methodology 16 (1):71-88.
Martin K. Jones (2008). On the Autonomy of Experiments in Economics. Journal of Economic Methodology 15 (4):391-407.
Alvin E. Roth (2001). Form and Function in Experimental Design. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 24 (3):427-428.
Chris Starmer (1999). Experiments in Economics: Should We Trust the Dismal Scientists in White Coats? Journal of Economic Methodology 6 (1):1-30.
Mark S. Peacock (2007). The Conceptual Construction of Altruism: Ernst Fehr’s Experimental Approach to Human Conduct. Philosophy of the Social Sciences 37 (1):3-23.
David C. Gooding (1992). What is Experimental About Thought Experiments? PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1992:280 - 290.
Mary S. Morgan (2005). Experiments Versus Models: New Phenomena, Inference and Surprise. Journal of Economic Methodology 12 (2):317-329.
Ralph Hertwig & Andreas Ortmann (2001). Experimental Practices in Economics: A Methodological Challenge for Psychologists? Behavioral and Brain Sciences 24 (3):383-403.
Robert Sugden (2005). Experiments as Exhibits and Experiments as Tests. Journal of Economic Methodology 12 (2):291-302.
Gustavo Cevolani (2011). Hayek in the Lab. Austrian School, Game Theory, and Experimental Economics. Logic and Philosophy of Science 9 (1):429-436.
Nicholas Bardsley (2005). Experimental Economics and the Artificiality of Alteration. Journal of Economic Methodology 12 (2):239-251.
Vladimir A. Lefebvre (2006). Sacredness in an Experimental Chamber. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 29 (2):189-190.
Niki Pfeifer (2012). Experiments on Aristotle's Thesis: Towards an Experimental Philosophy of Conditionals. The Monist 95 (2):223-240.
Analytics
Monthly downloads
Sorry, there are not enough data points to plot this chart.
|
Added to index2012-02-20Total downloads0Recent downloads (6 months)0How can I increase my downloads? |
My notes
Discussion
