Suppose That Each of Two Prisoners Has the Independent Choice

question 188

Multiple Choice

Suppose that each of two prisoners has the independent choice of confessing to a crime or not confessing to a crime they were both alleged to commit. If neither confesses, both spend two years in prison; if both confess, both spend three years in prison. If one confesses and the other does not, the confessor gets off with one year but the other gets six years. According to game theory, the likely strategy of the prisoners is that:

• A) both will confess.
• B) neither will confess.
• C) one will confess and the other will not.
• D) both may or may not confess.

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Definitions:

Elaboration

A cognitive process involving the addition of details, explanation, or expansion on a topic, enhancing understanding or memory.

Imagery

The use of descriptive or figurative language to create vivid mental pictures, often in literature and psychology to invoke senses or emotions.

Metacognition

The awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes, often referred to as "thinking about thinking."

Adolescence

The transitional stage of physical and psychological development that occurs typically from puberty to legal adulthood.