The Prisoners' Dilemma

Abstract

"Cooperation is usually analysed in game theory by means of a non-zero-sum game called the 'Prisoner's Dilemma' (Axelrod, 1984). The two players in the game can choose between two moves, either 'cooperate' or 'defect'. The idea is that each player gains when both cooperate, but if only one of them cooperates, the other one, who defects, will gain more. If both defect, both lose (or gain very little) but not as much as the 'cheated' cooperator whose cooperation is not returned. The whole game situation and its different outcomes can be summarized by table 1, where hypothetical 'points' are given as an example of how the differences in result might be quantified."