Coye Cheshire & Andrew Fiore April 18, 2023//

Computer-Mediated Communication

Game Theory, Games, and CMC

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Open Discussion: Marc Smith Talk

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Single-strategy tournament

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Multiple-strategy tournament (1)

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Multiple-strategy tournament (2)

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Why Game Theory for mediated communication?

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Game Theory

“Game theory is the systematic study of interdependent rational choice. It may be used to explain, to predict, and to evaluate human behavior in contexts where the outcome of action depends on what several agents choose to do and where their choices depend on what others choose to do.”

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/game-ethics/

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Game Theory and Core Concepts

Analytical vs. Behavioral Game Theory

Cooperative and Non-Cooperative Games

Zero and Non-Zero Sum Games

One-Shot vs. Repeated

Equilibria (i.e., Nash Equilibrium)

(example for cooperative game)

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Why the Prisoner’s Dilemma?

… demonstrates how communication between individuals can significantly alter “the best strategy” for solving the problem.

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The Evolution of Cooperation

Axelrod’s famous (1984) tournament allowed individuals to submit any strategy.

All strategies played each other in the tournament.

The winner was one of the shortest submissions, about 4 lines of code.

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The Simple Effectiveness of the Tit-for-Tat Strategy

Tit-for-Tat: begin with ‘cooperate’ and then do whatever the opponent did on the last turn.

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Lessons from Tit-for-Tat Be nice

It starts by cooperating. Most top-scoring strategies do this.

Be forgiving It quickly and happily returns to

cooperation without holding a grudge.

Be able to retaliate It never allows defection to go unpunished.

Be clear It is predictable and easy to understand. It

pays to be predictable in non-zero sum games.

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Is Tit-for-Tat Always the Answer?

2-person repeated PD N-person PD

Public Good

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Some common complaints…

“Hey, isnt this rational choice?”

“This stuff explains the problem, not the solution!”

“A theoretical tool cannot explain real life, right?”

(Picture courtesy vismod.media.mit.edu)

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Revisiting our earlier question…Where does this apply to CMC?

Del.ic.ious

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Games and Game Theory

Implications for Computer Games?

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