Question

Describe what it means to say a strategic game played with 2 players is in a...

Describe what it means to say a strategic game played with 2 players is in a Nash equilibrium. Then, describe the standard trust game, and identify the Nash equilibrium. Explain why this equilibrium is a Nash Equilibrium. Finally, explain why people actually playing this game might not play as the Nash Equilibrium predicts.

Homework Answers

Answer #1

A Nash equilibrium of a strategic game is an action profile with the property that no player can increase her payoff by choosing a different action, given the other players' actions.

For example - Two firms are merging into two divisions of a large firm, and have to choose the computer system to use. In the past the firms have used different systems, A and B each prefers the system it has used in the past. They will both be better off if they use the same system then if they continue to use different systems.

We can model this situation by the two-player strategic game.

​​​​​​

To find the Nash equilibria, we examine each action profile in turn.

(X,X) :- Firm 2 can increase its payoff from 1 to 2 by choosing the action Y rather than the action X. Thus this action profile is not a Nash equilibrium.

(X,Y) :- Firm 1 can increase its payoff from 1 to 2 by choosing the action Y rather than the action X. Thus this action profile is not a Nash equilibrium.

(Y,X) :- Firm 1 can increase its payoff from 1 to 2 by choosing the action X rather than the action Y. Thus this action profile is not a Nash equilibrium.

(Y,Y) :- Firm 2 can increase its payoff from 1 to 2 by choosing the action X rather than the action Y. Thus this action profile is not a Nash equilibrium.

We conclude that the game has no Nash equilibrium.

Neither player can increase her payoff by choosing an action different from her current one. Thus this action profile is a Nash equilibrium.

The simple insight underlying Nash's idea is that one cannot predict the choices of multiple decision makers if one analyzes those decisions in isolation. Instead, one must ask what each player would do taking into account what she/he expects the others to do. Nash equilibrium requires that their choices be consistent.... no player wishes to undo his decision given what the others are deciding.

Know the answer?
Your Answer:

Post as a guest

Your Name:

What's your source?

Earn Coins

Coins can be redeemed for fabulous gifts.

Not the answer you're looking for?
Ask your own homework help question
Similar Questions
1. Consider the following game with players Alice and Bob with strategies C and D. What...
1. Consider the following game with players Alice and Bob with strategies C and D. What is the solution of this game by iterated strict dominance? Please describe your step. Table 1: A Game   Bob Alice C D C 2,2 0,3 D 3,0 1,1 2. For the same game, demonstrate that the Bob and Alice both playing C is or is not a Nash equilibrium.   
Suppose that a public goods game is played amongst 4 players as follows. Each player begins...
Suppose that a public goods game is played amongst 4 players as follows. Each player begins with $10. They can contribute any amount between $0 and $10 to the public good. Each dollar contributed by a player to the public good will result in 80c being received by each of the four players (including themselves). Explain what outcome is predicted by basic game theory logic, what outcomes you might expect to see in an experimental setting and why, and how...
Suppose that a public goods game is played amongst 4 players as follows. Each player begins...
Suppose that a public goods game is played amongst 4 players as follows. Each player begins with $10. They can contribute any amount between $0 and $10 to the public good. Each dollar contributed by a player to the public good will result in 80c being received by each of the four players (including themselves). What outcome is predicted by basic game theory logic, what outcomes might expect in an experimental setting and why, and how punishment might affect the...
2) A football team has the chance of scoring the game-winning touchdown on the last play...
2) A football team has the chance of scoring the game-winning touchdown on the last play of the game. It can either run or pass. The defense can play for the run or play for the pass. The following normal form lists the payoffs from the game made up by this last play. The payoffs are probabilities of winning the game. Defense Defend Pass Defend Run Offense Pass 0, 1 1, 0 Run 1, 0 0, 1 Does the team...
This problem refers to the following game: A B A (2, 4) (0, 2) B (1,...
This problem refers to the following game: A B A (2, 4) (0, 2) B (1, 1) (3, 4) a.       What are the pure-strategy Nash equilibria? b.       Is there a mixed strategy Nash equilibrium where both players mix A and B? If so, find the equilibrium. If not, explain why not.
Game Theory: John and Dave are playing a game where they only have two strategies, either...
Game Theory: John and Dave are playing a game where they only have two strategies, either to move left or move right. The payoffs from this game are the points that each player will earn given the strategies that each play. The higher the points, the higher the payoffs each player will receive. The normal form representation of the game is presented below.                                                    DAVE                         Left                                                  Right Left 1,1 0,3 Right 3,0 2,2 John's name label should be on...
In the class ic film, Mary Poppins, the Banks children are players in a strategic game...
In the class ic film, Mary Poppins, the Banks children are players in a strategic game with a number of different nannies. In their view of the world nannies are inherently harsh, and playing tricks on nannies is great fun. That is, they view themselves as playing a game in which the nanny moves first, showing herself to be either Harsh or Nice, and the chil dren move second, choosing to be either Good or Mischievous. The nanny prefers to...
Cribbage, or Crib, is a card game traditionally for two players, but commonly played with three,...
Cribbage, or Crib, is a card game traditionally for two players, but commonly played with three, four or more, that involves playing and grouping cards in a deck of 52 in combinations which gain points. Cribbage has several distinctive features: the cribbage board used for score keeping, the crib or box (a seperate hand counting for the dealer), two distinct scoring stages (the play and the show) and a unique scoring system including points for groups of cards total fifteen....
Consider the following public goods game. There are more than 2 players. Each player is given...
Consider the following public goods game. There are more than 2 players. Each player is given $20 at the start. Players individually decide how much of the $20 to invest in the public good. Each $1 invested in the public good generates a benefit of $2. A player’s payoff is the $20 minus the amount they invested plus an equal share of the total benefit. a. What is the Nash equilibrium? b. If players could decide on investment collectively, how...
on and Vlad are two players in an indefinitely repeated Prisoners Dilemma Game. Let the probability...
on and Vlad are two players in an indefinitely repeated Prisoners Dilemma Game. Let the probability that the game continues one more round be “q”. Assume both players are risk neutral and have a common per-period discount rate of “d”. 1. From this information alone, what must be true about the range of possible values for d and q? 2. Is mutual defection a Nash Equilibrium (NE)? If so, under what conditions is mutual defection a NE? (HINT: Consider Don’s...