ISET is proud to announce that Nikoloz Pkhakadze, Head of the MA in Economics Program, has published his research in the leading international journal in game theory and microeconomics, Games and Economic Behavior, a journal highly regarded by economists and researchers in the field. Co-authored with Axel Anderson of Georgetown University, the paper titled “Polarizing Persuasion” offers important insights into strategic communication and opinion formation.
The paper examines how polarization can arise even when individuals are fully rational and update their beliefs using standard Bayesian reasoning. It shows that people can arrive at more extreme and opposing beliefs after receiving the same information, not because of bias or misinformation, but due to differences in their initial beliefs.
The analysis also shows how belief formation can be shaped by an actor who designs the information structure within which learning takes place. Even when all agents observe the same signals and update rationally, equilibrium outcomes can involve increased disagreement. By formalizing this process, the study contributes to a clearer understanding of how polarization can emerge as an equilibrium outcome.
Publication can be accessed here
