Avatar-based Macroeconomics: Experimental Insights into Artificial Agents Behavior

In this paper we present a new methodological approach based on the interplay between Experimental Economics and Agent-based Economics. Advances in the design and implementation of individual autonomous economic agents are presented. The methodology is organized in three steps. The first step focuses on agents. We use an inductive rather than a deductive approach: by means of the experimental method we observe agents’ behaviors. The second step is the behavioral rules’ building process that allows us to study how to estimate and structure artificial agents. In the third step, the set of previously induced behavioral rules are used to build artificial agents, i.e. “molded” avatars, which operate in the “archetype” macroeconomic system. The resulting Multi-agent system serves as the macroeconomic environment for our simulations and economic policy analysis.