Compare and Contrast “Zero-Sum Game” And “Non-Zero-Sum Game
Instructions:-
sure to make an electronic copy of your answer before submitting it to Ashworth College for grading. Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English spelling and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be a minimum of one (1) single-spaced page to a maximum of two (2) pages in length; refer to the “Assignment Format” page for specific format requirements.
Compare and contrast “zero-sum game” and “non-zero-sum game,” and provide an example of each. With Carol Gilligan’s work on moral development in mind, which gender do you think would prefer which situation? Explain your opinion.
Solution
Compare and Contrast “Zero-Sum Game” And “Non-Zero-Sum Game
Game theory includes a mathematical framework to analyze and guide the decision-making processes and game plans for adversaries (or players) in different scenarios of competitive situations. The most common and simplest type of competitive conditions are two-person, usually referred to as, zero-sum games. These games have two players; they are called zero-sum games because one player wins whatever the other player loses. A good example is a game of poker (Davis, 2012).
A Non-Zero-Sum Game is a set of circumstances in game theory where one’s win does not necessarily imply the opponent’s loss and one’s loss does not indicate that the opponents’ win. In a Non-Zero-Sum Game, all players could profit, or all parties could make a loss. This case indirectly contrasts to a Zero-Sum Game situation where one party is winning results in the other party’s loss such as in competitive sports like football, where if one of team wins the points, the others have automatically lost (Rapoport, 2012).
A typical instance of a Non-Zero-Sum Game situation referred to as the Prisoner’s Dilemma. Here two prisoners are separated and interrogated, and both offered a deal where if one comes clean, he is free, while the other goes back to prison for ten years. If both confess, they both to prison for a two-year stint. If both shut their mouths, they will both do a six-month stint for minor crimes.
Obviously, the best choice for either one of them not to say a word; they will both be scared that the other one might spill the beans, leaving them to face the ten-year sentence. These feelings will often push the prisoners into protecting what they view as their best interest, and thus they will tend to confess, resulting in a loss for both of them, and a 2-year prison sentence.
Sources Cited
Davis, M. (2012). Game Theory (1st ed., p. 5). New York: Dover Publications.
Rapoport, A. (2012). Game theory as a theory of conflict resolution (1st ed., pp. 2,7). Dordrecht: D. Reidel Pub. Co.