Question

Suppose that each of two prisoners, Mel and Max, has the independent choice of confessing to a crime or not confessing. If neither confesses, they spend 2 years in jail: if both confess, they spend 3 years in jail. If one confesses while the other does not, the confessor gets off with 1 year in jail while the other gets 6 years in jail. According to game theory, the likely strategy by the prisoners is that:

A. both will confess
B. neither will confess
C. Mel will confess and Max will not
D. both may or may not confess
E. Max will confess and Mel will not

Answer 1

Here according to the game theory the likely strategy by the prisoner is that:

A. Both will confess

Step-by-step explanation:

Here, in the given question it is mentioned that Mel and Max are two prisoners both have been given an independent choice of confession whether to confess or not for a crime they have done.

So, there are different cases which will lead to different actions by the court i.e.

• If neither of them will confess they will have to spend 2 years in jail.
• If both will give their confession they will be spending 3 years in jail.
• If one of them confesses and the other does not do the one who will confess will get out of the jail within 1 year and the other one will get a 6 years of jail period.

So, according to the Game theory, the strategy that is going to be likely followed is that :

A. Both the prisoners will confess.