In the prisoner's dilemma, ____, which turns out to be ____.
A)both prisoners remain silent; worse for them than if they had confessed.
B)both prisoners remain silent; better for them than if they had confessed.
C)one prisoner remains silent; worse for both of them than if they had confessed.
D)one prisoner remains silent; better for the prisoner who confessed than it would have been had he not confessed.
E)both prisoners confess; worse for them than if they had remained silent.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the prisoner's dilemma, both prisoners have the option to either remain silent or confess. If both remain silent, they both receive a lesser sentence. However, if one confesses and the other remains silent, the one who confesses receives a lesser sentence and the other receives a harsher sentence. If both confess, they both receive a harsher sentence than if they had both remained silent. Therefore, the best choice in terms of individual self-interest is for both to confess, even though this results in a worse outcome for both. This is known as a Nash equilibrium, where each player's strategy is the best response to the other player's strategy.

In the Prisoner's Dilemma, ____, Which Turns Out to Be