This paper experimentally investigates free-riding behavior on communication cost in a coordination game and finds … strong indications of such free-riding. Firstly, the subjects wait for others to send a message when communication is costly …, which does not happen when communication is costless. Secondly, the proportion of games where no communication or one …

We study communication in a two-player coordination game with Pareto-ranked equilibria. Prior research demonstrates … that efficient coordination is difficult without communication but obtains regularly with (mandatory) costless pre …-play messages. In a laboratory experiment, we modify communication by making the sending of messages optional and costly. Even small …