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analysis in optimization theory

In game theory: Classification of games
…is represented by a payoff matrix, wherein each row describes the strategy of one player and each column describes the strategy of the other player. The matrix entry at the intersection of each row and column gives the outcome of each player choosing the corresponding strategy. The payoffs to each…
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prisoner’s dilemma

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prisoner’s dilemma

game theory

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Last Updated: May 24, 2025 • Article History

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prisoner’s dilemma, imaginary situation employed in game theory. One version is as follows. Two prisoners are accused of a crime. If one confesses and the other does not, the one who confesses will be released immediately and the other will spend 20 years in prison. If neither confesses, each will be held only a few months. If both confess, they will each be jailed 15 years. They cannot communicate with one another. Given that neither prisoner knows whether the other has confessed, it is in the self-interest of each to confess himself. Paradoxically, when each prisoner pursues his self-interest, both end up worse off than they would have been had they acted otherwise. See egoism.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.

matrix game

Learn about this topic in these articles:

analysis in optimization theory

prisoner’s dilemma