Player A and Player B are playing a prisoners' dilemma game. Which of the following statements is false?
A)If the players play the game repeatedly with each other, the players may play cooperatively.
B)If the game is played only once, the players would not be expected to cooperate.
C)If players play the game repeatedly with each other, they are more likely to cooperate if they are patient.
D)If the game is played only once, the outcome minimizes total jail time.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The statement that the outcome minimizes total jail time is false. In a prisoners' dilemma game, the outcome that maximizes individual payoff does not necessarily minimize total jail time. The best outcome for both players is to cooperate, but if they both choose to defect (not cooperate), they end up with a worse outcome than if they had cooperated. However, if only one player defects, they get the best outcome for themselves but the worst outcome for the other player. Therefore, in a one-shot game, both players are likely to defect, resulting in a suboptimal outcome for both. If the game is played only once, the outcome does not necessarily minimize total jail time. In fact, if both players defect, they will receive the maximum jail time possible. The outcome only minimizes total jail time if both players cooperate.

Player a and Player B Are Playing a Prisoners' Dilemma