Scenario: Rita and Mike have been caught cheating on an examination. They are taken to separate rooms for interrogation. Their payoff matrix is given below. The first outcome listed in each cell is the payoff to the row player, and the second outcome listed is the payoff to the column player.

-Refer to the scenario above.Which of the following is likely to happen if Rita confesses and Mike does not confess?
A) Both of them will be let free.
B) Rita will be let free, while Mike will be suspended.
C) 10 points will be deducted from their respective scores.
D) 10 points will be deducted from Mike's score, while Rita will be suspended.

Question

Scenario: Rita and Mike have been caught cheating on an examination. They are taken to separate rooms for interrogation. Their payoff matrix is given below. The first outcome listed in each cell is the payoff to the row player, and the second outcome listed is the payoff to the column player.
 
-Refer to the scenario above.Which of the following is likely to happen if Rita confesses and Mike does not confess?
A) Both of them will be let free. 
B) Rita will be let free, while Mike will be suspended. 
C) 10 points will be deducted from their respective scores. 
D) 10 points will be deducted from Mike's score, while Rita will be suspended.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If Rita confesses and Mike does not confess, according to the payoff matrix, Rita will be let free and Mike will be suspended. This is because Rita's payoff is higher if she confesses and Mike does not, while Mike's payoff is higher if he does not confess and Rita does. Therefore, the best choice for Rita would be to confess.

Scenario: Rita and Mike Have Been Caught Cheating on an Examination