From homo-œconomicus to non-human primate : three case studies on the cognitive micro-foundations of economics

Through three studies, this thesis aims to explore the cognitive micro-foundations of economics. In a first study, I investigate the role of the information for coordination on a unique medium of exchange, that is to say money emergence. Relying on the search theoretical models (Kiyotaki & Wright, 1989, and Iwai, 1996), the goal of this study is to challenge the assumption that an exhaustive information is a necessary condition for money emergence. In a second study, I tackle the role of the information in duopoly competition. Using a model a-la-Hotelling (1929), we test the hypothesis that varying the amount of information available by consumers substantially impacts market’s dynamics. In a third study, I am interested in decision-making under risk in rhesus monkeys. Based on the prospect theory (Kahneman & Tversky, 1989, 1992), the main purpose is to assess to what extent macaques exhibit an asymmetric treatment of gains and losses similar to that of humans.