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 …

We experimentally study optional costly communication in Stag-Hunt games. Prior research demonstrates that efficient … coordination is difficult without a communication option but obtains regularly with mandatory costless pre-play messages. We find … that even small communication costs dramatically reduce message use when communication is optional, but efficient …