Cultural Norms and Identity in Coordination Games

We ran experiments with a stag hunt and bargaining coordination game. Using a between-subjects design, we varied the identity of the opponent between someone of the same culture or a different culture. The idea was to see whether cultural norms or identity played a part in coordination decisions. We compared the responses of British and East Asian students at the University of Exeter and showed the cultural identity of the opponent by physical appearance. The players appeared to use cultural stereotypes to predict behaviour, especially in the bargaining game which may require more strategic thought than the stag hunt game. In particular, the British acted as though Asians would behave more cautiously than other British. According to our results, the stereotype of Asians being cautious is misleading.