The Strategy That Worked Best in Axelrod's Experiments Using the Prisoners

question 40

Multiple Choice

The strategy that worked best in Axelrod's experiments using the Prisoners' Dilemma game was to:

• A) play the "cooperate" ("don't confess") strategy.
• B) play the "defect" ("confess") strategy.
• C) alternate between "cooperate" and "defect" strategies.
• D) play the "cooperate" strategy at first, and from then on do whatever the other player did in the previous round, cooperating if the other player did, and defecting if the other player did.
• E) play the "cooperate" strategy in the first round, and from then on cooperate so long as the other player does, but if the other player defects, then play the "defect" strategy from that time forward.

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Definitions:

Innate Human Characteristic

Traits or abilities that are present in humans from birth, not acquired or learned through experience.

Universal

Pertaining to or applicable to all members of a class, group, or category.

Species-specific Trait

A characteristic or behavior that is unique to a particular species, distinguishing it from other species.

Steven Pinker

A cognitive psychologist and linguist known for his work in language and human nature, advocating for the importance of science and reason.