Chapter 9 - Game Theory and Strategic Thinking Flashcards
Game
A situation involving at least two people that requires those involved to think strategically
Game theory
The study of how people behave strategically under different circumstances
Behaving strategically
Acting to achieve a goal by anticipating the interplay between your own and others’ decisions
Prisoners’ dilemma
A game of strategy in which two people make rational choices that lead to a less-than-ideal result for both
Dominant strategy
A strategy that is the best one for a player to follow no matter what strategy other players choose
Nash equilibrium
An equilibrium reached when all player choose the best strategy they can, given the choices of all other players, it is a situation wherein, given the consequences, the player has no regrets about his or her decision
Commitment strategy
An agreement to submit to a penalty in the future for defecting from a given strategy
Repeated game
A game that is played more than once
Tit-for-tat
A strategy in which a player in a repeated game takes the same action that his or her opponent did in the preceding round
Backward induction
The process of analyzing a problem in reverse, starting with the last choice, then the second to last choice, etc. to determine the optimal strategy
First-mover advantage
Benefit enjoyed by the player who chooses first and, as a result, gets a higher payoff than those who follow