Introduction to Game Theory: A Behavioral Approach

Ideal for social science courses in game theory and research methods, Introduction to Game Theory: A Behavioral Approach explains basic game theory concepts--up to and including Bayesian Nash equilibrium--using results from laboratory experiments that examine how real people behave in standard modeled games. Working from the premise that the crux of game theory lies in thinking logically about a problem and formulating research questions based on theory, author Kenneth C. Williams takes a nontechnical, behavioral approach that is accessible to students with minimal math skills.

Incorporating a wide range of experiments with diverse designs, Introduction to Game Theory is also enhanced by numerous pedagogical features:

* Extensive problem sets, in-class experiments, and sample exams

* Numerical examples for all of the exercises

* Key terms and concepts for behavioral game theory--which differ from those for standard game theory--and a glossary

* Supplemental lecture material and Internet resources--online games, videos, lectures, problems sets, exams, and experiments that students can participate in

Kenneth C. Williams is a professor of political science at Michigan State University. He received his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin and did a postdoctoral fellowship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has taught at the University of California at Santa Barbara, The University of London, the University of Edinburg, and Trinity College in Dublin. He is co-author of Experimental Political Science and the Study of Causality, Cambridge University Press (with Rebecca B. Morton), and the winner of the 2011 book of the year award from the experimental section of the American Political Science Association. He is also co-author of Learning by Voting: Sequential Choices in Presidential Primaries and Other Elections, University of Michigan Press (with Rebecca B. Morton). He has also published articles in the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, Experimental Economics, Economics and Games, Journal of Theoretical Politics, Public Choice, and Simulation and Gaming. He has also been the Principal Investigator on several National Science Foundation grants.