Escaping Social Dilemmas by Michal Bacon

In game theory, social dilemmas are situations where the interests of the individual stand in direct opposition to the interests of the many. Game theory has demonstrated that in these scenarios the most rational choice for the individual is to act selfishly rather than for the collective good. However, when these social dilemmas are played out repeatedly, cooperative behavior can emerge as the more advantageous choice. This project explores three social dilemmas - the most famous being the Prisoner’s Dilemma - and ten different strategies for playing these games repeatedly. We demonstrate how strategies, ranging in character from benevolent cooperators to unscrupulous defectors, can be more successful than others depending on the social dilemma to which they are applied. Furthermore, we aim to discover if certain strategies can elicit cooperation from their peers, thus creating a more trusting and ultimately more successful society.