We invite you to join an upcoming online lecture "My Way or the Highway: Strategic Inattention in Coordination Problems"

Speaker: Silvia Sonderegger, Professor at the University of Nottingham

Date: January 20, 2026Time: 1:00 PM

Format: Online only

We theoretically and experimentally study the strategic use of attention in settings where individuals need to match an imperfectly observed state of nature as well as coordinating with another agent. Agents can commit to a course of action without paying attention to the information of their counterpart (rigid attitude) or wait to know their counterpart's signal at a cost (open minded attitude). We compare the predictions of three theoretical models: standard rational material payoff maximization (Realism), a preference for rigidity (Rigidity Love) and biased beliefs that overstate the informativeness of one’s own signal relative to the signal of the opponent (Egocentric Bias). Empirically, we find that the agents’ propensity to learn from others is inefficiently low, and document the presence of a My Way or the Highway effect, where by rigid agents force their counterpart to coordinate on actions they know are suboptimal. Stronger incentives to coordinate reduce rigidity, but do not generally increase learning, nor lead to more informed decision making. Agents are more interested in what others will do than what they may know. These findings support the Egocentric Bias model against the alternatives.

You can join the event via this link.

Join us online to engage with cutting-edge research and take part in an insightful academic discussion.