The equilibrium in the prisoners' dilemma
i.minimizes the prisoners' combined jail time.
ii.has one prisoner confessing and the other denying.
iii.is a Nash equilibrium.
A) i only
B) ii only
C) iii only
D) i and iii
E) i, ii, and iii

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Nash equilibrium in the prisoners' dilemma is when both prisoners confess, which is not the equilibrium that minimizes their combined jail time. Therefore, statement i is false. The equilibrium where one confesses and the other denies is not a Nash equilibrium because the one who confesses gets a lower sentence, leading to the dominated strategy of both confessing. Therefore, statement ii is also false. The only correct statement is iii, as the Nash equilibrium in the prisoners' dilemma is when both confess.

The Equilibrium in the Prisoners' Dilemma