Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/223989 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 13547
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
When groups face difficult problems, the voice of experts may be lost in the noise of others' contributions. We present results from a 'naturally noisy' setting, a large first-year undergraduate class, in which the 'expert's voice is lost' to such a degree that it is in fact optimal for all non-experts to contribute their bits of information. A single individual has little chance to improve the outcome and coordinating with the whole group is impossible. In this setting, we examine the change in behavior before and after people can talk to their neighbors. We find that the number of people who reduce noise by holding back their information strongly and significantly increases.
Subjects: 
information aggregation
coordination
communication
swing voter's curse
JEL: 
D71
D72
D81
D82
C99
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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