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Prisoners and their dilemma

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  • Khadjavi, Menusch
  • Lange, Andreas

Abstract

We report insights into the behavior of prisoners in dilemma situations that so famously carry their name. We compare female inmates and students in a simultaneous and a sequential Prisoner's Dilemma. In the simultaneous Prisoner's Dilemma, the cooperation rate among inmates exceeds the rate of cooperating students. Relative to the simultaneous dilemma, cooperation among first-movers in the sequential Prisoner's Dilemma increases for students, but not for inmates. Students and inmates behave identically as second movers. Hence, we find a similar and significant fraction of inmates and students to hold social preferences.

Suggested Citation

  • Khadjavi, Menusch & Lange, Andreas, 2013. "Prisoners and their dilemma," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 163-175.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:92:y:2013:i:c:p:163-175
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2013.05.015
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    10. Cason, Timothy N. & Lau, Sau-Him Paul & Mui, Vai-Lam, 2019. "Prior interaction, identity, and cooperation in the Inter-group Prisoner's Dilemma," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 613-629.
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    12. Marek Hudik, 2020. "Equilibrium as compatibility of plans," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 89(3), pages 349-368, October.
    13. Guo, Shiqi & Liang, Pinghan & Xiao, Erte, 2020. "In-group bias in prisons," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 328-340.
    14. Sebestyén, Tamás & Braun, Emese, 2022. "Hány fecske csinál nyarat? A nem teljes hálózati szerkezet és az attitűd hatása az együttműködésre [How many swallows make a summer? The impact of incomplete network structure and attitude on coope," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(7), pages 869-901.
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    18. Zachary Smith & Patrick R. Murphy & Stephen L. Baglione & Passard C. Dean, 2022. "The Battle for Space Supremacy... an Application of Pricing and Market Structure," Journal of Economics Teaching, Journal of Economics Teaching, vol. 7(1), pages 35-73, January.
    19. Sanjit Dhami & Ali al-Nowaihi, 2013. "Evidential equilibria: Heuristics and biases in static games," Discussion Papers in Economics 13/25, Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Prisoner's Dilemma; Inmates; Lab experiment; Lab-in-the-field experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • K00 - Law and Economics - - General - - - General (including Data Sources and Description)

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