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What is prisoner’s dilemma? Explain.

Answer:

Ans.     Prisoner’s dilemma is a hypothetical game scenario that is meant to demonstrate the dilemma of reconciling individual interests and well-being with collective interests and well-being.

It focuses on situations in which each person can increase his/her individual gain by acting in one way, but if all (or most) persons do the same thing, the outcomes experienced by all are reduced.

The game shows how well-meaning people can become trapped in mutually destructive behaviour, when all would benefit from co-operation. The game examines the story of two police suspects who are thought to be guilty of some major offence. However, the police had only enough evidence to convict each of them for some minor offence. ‘The police need one or both of the suspects to confess and offer each an incentive to confess in private. If one confesses and the other does not, the police will grant the confessor immunity and convict the other of the major offence. If both confess, they will be charged with a lesser offence and both will receive moderate jail sentences. If, however, neither confesses, the police will only be able to charge with the minor offence. The ‘possible outcomes of each decision are shown in the matrix below:

The prisoner’s dilemma has been used in the explanation of social dilemmas, and of altruistic behaviour, particularly that involving reciprocity. It demonstrates how the collective well-being of a group can be threatened if individuals only take into consideration the individual benefits of their actions.