Question

In the prisoner’s dilemma, each prisoner would be best off, if

Group of answer choices

a) both confess based on what is best for the individual.

b) one confesses based on what is best for the individual, but the other does not confess.

c) one confesses based on what is best for the individual, regardless if the other confesses or not.

d) neither confesses based on what is best for the whole not the individual.

Answer 1

The prisoner's dilemma can be defined as a standard example of a game theory which states why two completely rational individuals (prisoners) might not cooperate, when it seems that it is in their best interests to do so. In this game, there is dilemma if both cooperate, then both will get less year of imprisonment but if one prison cooperate and another cheat, then cheater will get no imprisonment while the player who cooperate will get more years imprisonment and vice-versa. But if neither cooperate, then both get the imprisonment of few years.

This is known as the prisoner dilemma.

Hence it can be said that one interesting feature of a prisoner’s dilemma game is that non-cooperative behavior leads to lower payoffs than cooperative behavior.

So it can be said that the prisoner’s dilemma is a situation in which players have difficulty choosing a strategy based on trust.

Therefore it can be said that in the prisoner’s dilemma, each prisoner would be best off, if neither confesses based on what is best for the whole not the individual.

Hence option d is the correct answer.