Refer to the above payoff matrix (in years of sentence) for two people (A and B) charged for robbery. Which of the following is the outcome of the dominant strategy without cooperation?
A) Both A and B confess.
B) Both A and B do not confess.
C) A confesses while B does not confess.
D) A does not confess while B confesses.

Question

Refer to the above payoff matrix (in years of sentence) for two people (A and B) charged for robbery. Which of the following is the outcome of the dominant strategy without cooperation?
A) Both A and B confess. 
B) Both A and B do not confess. 
C) A confesses while B does not confess. 
D) A does not confess while B confesses.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the dominant strategy without cooperation, each player will choose the strategy that maximizes their payoff regardless of what the other player does. In this game, regardless of what B chooses, A's dominant strategy is to confess as it guarantees the lowest possible sentence. Similarly, regardless of what A chooses, B's dominant strategy is to confess as it guarantees the lowest possible sentence. Therefore, both A and B will confess, resulting in a (5,5) payoff.

Refer to the Above Payoff Matrix (In Years of Sentence)